Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Apr 6 (IANS): A couple in Kanpur has accused a seer and his disciple in Haridwar of brainwashing their daughter with the help of black magic and keeping her in their ashram forcibly.

The couple appealed to the State Women Commission and has given an application in this regard.

The Kanpur Police Commissioner has entrusted the investigation of the case to ACP Babupurwa.

The businessman and his wife told the State Commission for Women member Poonam Kapoor that their family has been involved in the religious activities of an ashram in Uttarakhand's Haridwar for the past six years.

Their daughter, after completing her studies in Bengaluru, also started accompanying them to the ashram.

The 'Mahamandaleshwar' of the ashram managed to hypnotise their daughter and has kept her in the ashram since the past two years.

The businessman claimed that whenever they went to the ashram in Haridwar, they were not allowed to meet their daughter and instead were threatened with dire consequences.

Poonam Kapoor, member, State Women Commission, told reporters on Wednesday, "We have directed the Police Commissioner to investigate the matter and take suitable action at the earliest."