A Maoist cult leader who raped followers and held his daughter captive for three decades has died in prison.

Aravindan Balakrishnan, known as Comrade Bala, carried out a “brutal” campaign of violence and “sexual degradation” against women over decades, a court heard.

The 81-year-old died in custody at HMP Dartmoor on Friday, the Ministry of Justice confirmed to Sky News.

His trial heard how he brainwashed his followers into thinking he had God-like powers and invented a supernatural force called Jackie who he said could trigger natural disasters if he was disobeyed.

When the Maoist commune called the Workers Institute, based in Brixton, south London, was raided in 1978, Balakrishnan dominated and imposed his will on a small group of women for the next 35 years.

He fathered a daughter with one of his followers, who was then kept prisoner in the commune for 30 years.

She was beaten, banned from singing nursery rhymes, and was not allowed to go to school or make friends.

She later described herself as a “shadow woman” who was kept like a “caged bird”.

Balakrishnan was convicted of a string of sex attacks, cruelty to a child under 16, false imprisonment and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2015.

He was jailed for 23 years in 2016.

A Prison Service spokesperson said the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman had been informed of Balakrishnan’s death.

Related posts:

‘I had my head down in shame’: A COVID life in one of the UK’s poorest towns Football fans use flares to start training ground fire 1.7 million more urged to shield – but will get earlier access to COVID vaccines Sperm whales taught each other how avoid 19th century whalers’ harpoons ‘Historic anomaly’ corrected: Both parents to be included on marriage certificates Former head of Royal Marines Major General Matthew Holmes took his own life, inquest hears Prince Charles’s former aide quits charity role amid cash-for-honours claims Student jailed for life over murder of step-grandmother after ‘truth or dare’ game confession Long COVID less common in fully vaccinated, UK health agency says ‘Seeing her like this kills me everyday’: Mother of teenager kidnapped by her boyfriend calls for tougher sentences Smacking ban: Wales outlaws physical punishment of children ‘Beautiful, irreplaceable’: Family pays tribute to 19-year-old murdered at student flats in London