Suicide or murder? Prayagraj seer's death kicks up a storm in Uttar Pradesh
A disciple and close aide of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad chief Narendra Giri was arrested, a day after the seer was found dead at his Bhagambari Math residence in Prayagraj.
An FIR has been filed against the accused Anand Giri, who, according to police is named in a suicide note left by Giri. Anand was nabbed by police in Uttarakhand on Monday evening.
According to reports, Anand and his mentor fell out in May over allegations of fraud and misappropriation of funds. They had buried the hatchet a few days later as a video of Anand falling at the feet of Giri had circulated then.
According to police, Giri in an eight-page suicide letter accused Anand and two others – Adya Tiwari, a senior priest of the Hanuman ji temple and his son Sandeep Tiwari – of harassing him and pushing him to suicide.
The father-son duo, who were staying with the seer, have been detained for questioning.
“We are reading the note. He said he was depressed. He also wrote what should be done with the ashram after his passing, in the form of a will,” NDTV quoted senior Prayagraj police official KP Singh as telling reporters on Monday.
Many saints, however, have questioned the veracity of the letter and suspect if the death was suicide at all. According to News18 Jitrendranand Saraswati, the general secretary of the All India Sant Samiti has asked how Narendra Giri was able to write such a long suicide letter when he could barely sign.
Police, however, say that a clearer picture will emerge only after the post-mortem reports and forensic test results come out.
On Monday afternoon, disciples of the seer broke open his room’s door to find him hanging from the ceiling after he didn’t come for his public meeting.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who paid his last respects to the mortal remains of Giri on Tuesday has said that “several pieces of evidence” related to the seer’s death have been found and that the “culprit will not be spared”.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
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
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) September 21, 2021
“The postmortem will be done tomorrow… I politely request everyone to not give unnecessary statements during the process and let the investigating agencies do their work,” ANI quoted the chief minister as saying.
Adityanath’s deputy Keshav Maurya has said that the government is also ready for a CBI investigation into the matter and will ensure that the culprits get the strictest punishment.
Several political parties including the Shiv Sena have been demanding a CBI inquiry into the seer’s death.
The seer’s last rites will be conducted after the post-mortem and the arrival of the office bearers of the Akhara Parishad, reports said.
