Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri was found dead in Baghambari Mutt in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Monday, September 20. The probe is currently underway. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who reached the Baghambari Math on Tuesday to pay his last respect to Mahant Narendra Giri, assured that the culprits would not be spared.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) September 21, 2021
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥
प्रयागराज स्थित श्री मठ बाघम्बरी गद्दी पहुंचकर महंत नरेंद्र गिरि जी महाराज के अंतिम दर्शन कर श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की।
प्रभु श्री राम से प्रार्थना है कि उन्हें अपने परम धाम में स्थान प्रदान करें। pic.twitter.com/bf4ykHx7Ui
The Uttar Pradesh CM said: “The post-mortem will be done tomorrow. The culprit will not be spared. Several pieces of evidence have been collected regarding the incident. A team of senior police officials is investing the case.”
Uttar Pradesh police arrests Swami Anand Giri and two others from Haridwar
A day after the purported suicide of the seer, the Prayagraj police filed an FIR against his closest disciple Swami Anand Giri and two others at the George Town police station and detained them in connection with the seer’s death. Anand has been booked under Section 306 of the IPC (Abetment of suicide), according to the copy of FIR.
Reportedly, Swami Anand Giri was Narendra Giri’s most devoted protege until they fell out in May after the latter was expelled from the Niranjani Akhara over accusations of financial irregularities.
Arrested by the police in Uttarakhand last evening, Anand Giri has been accused of harassing the deceased Mahant. UP ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar informed that Anand Giri was detained from Haridwar with the help of Uttarakhand Police and is being brought to Prayagraj by a team of ten Uttar Pradesh Police personnel.
Prior to his arrest, Anand Giri had reportedly told media on Monday: “Guruji was not the kind of person who would commit suicide, he was tortured over money. This is a huge conspiracy against me. An unbiased investigation should be conducted.”
Mahant Narendra Giri recorded video before demise
According to reports, along with a suicide note, the police have also recovered a video recorded by Mahant Narendra Giri before his death. As per his disciple Nirbhay Dwivedi, the content of the video is similar to that of the suicide note, in which the Hindu seer had mentioned the names of the people who had been allegedly troubling him.
In the 7-8 page long suicide note, Mahant Narendra Giri had written that he was upset for a number of reasons and thus decided to end his life. According to IG KP Singh, the suicide letter read: “I lived with dignity, will not be able to live with insult, this is why I am taking my own life”.
Mahant Narendra Giri found hanging in his room in Baghambari Math in Prayagraj
On Monday evening, Mahant Narendra Giri was discovered dead in his room in the Baghambari Math in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. According to reports, after lunch, the 72-year-old seer retired to his room. Later in the evening, when he did not respond when disciples knocked on his door or frequently called him on his mobile phone, the latter broke the door open and entered the room. They found the seer hanging from the ceiling with a nylon rope.
Expressing grief at the seer’s death PM Modi tweeted in Hindi: “The death of Akhara Parishad president Shri Narendra Giri ji is extremely sad. While devoted to spiritual traditions, he played a big role in connecting many streams of Sant Samaj together. May the Lord give him a place at His feet. Om shanti.”
अखाड़ा परिषद के अध्यक्ष श्री नरेंद्र गिरि जी का देहावसान अत्यंत दुखद है। आध्यात्मिक परंपराओं के प्रति समर्पित रहते हुए उन्होंने संत समाज की अनेक धाराओं को एक साथ जोड़ने में बड़ी भूमिका निभाई। प्रभु उन्हें अपने श्री चरणों में स्थान दें। ॐ शांति!!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2021
Meanwhile, the head priest of Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya, Mahant Raju Das has demanded a CBI probe and narco test of Swami Anand Giri.
Moreover, Sunil Chaudhary, an advocate has also filed a written petition in the Allahabad High Court, asking for a CBI investigation on the mysterious death of Mahant Narendra Giri.
The petitioner has said that the circumstances surrounding the Mahant’s death on Monday evening were exceedingly suspicious and intriguing. In fact, the five-page suicide letter supposedly written by Mahant Narendra Giri has also been questioned by several Akhara members.
