Akhara Parishad chief Mahant Narendra Giri found dead in UP, his ‘suicide note’ blames his disciple

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said a team of the UP Police has been sent to Haridwar, where Anand Giri has been detained.

Kumar said that on Monday, around 5.20 pm, one of Giri’s followers called police and informed them that the mahant had hung himself from a fan in his room at Baghambari math, where he stayed. The disciple told police that they cut the rope and brought the body down.

It was in 2016 that Giri first took over as chief of the Akhara Parishad. It was during his tenure that the Parishad released a list of allegedly “fake saints”. In 2019, Giri was elected chief of the Parishad for a second time.

In April this year, Giri had tested positive for Covid-19.

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

For the past few months, the mahant had been involved in a public tussle with Anand Giri, with both sides accusing each other of, among other things, misappropriation of funds.

Giri is said to have got Anand Giri expelled from the Niranjani akhara following allegations that he went against the traditions of the akhara by keeping in touch with his family. While Anand Giri also accused his guru of financial irregularities, he is said to have later apologised.

अखिल भारतीय अखाड़ा परिषद के अध्यक्ष पूज्य नरेंद्र गिरी जी का निधन, अपूरणीय क्षति!

ईश्वर पुण्य आत्मा को अपने श्री चरणों में स्थान व उनके अनुयायियों को यह दुख सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करें।

भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि। pic.twitter.com/wD2JC14LDp

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) September 20, 2021

In a statement to the media, Anand Giri denied any misunderstanding between him and Giri and called the mahant’s death a conspiracy hatched by those who had allegedly misappropriated math funds.

The mahant has in the past been vocal on political and religious issues.

Last year, a year after the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya title suit, a meeting of the Akhara Parishad, chaired by Giri, had passed a resolution saying they would initiate a campaign on the lines of Ram Janmabhoomi movement to “free the Hindu temples” in Varanasi and Mathura.

अखिल भारतीय अखाड़ा परिषद के अध्यक्ष महंत नरेंद्र गिरि जी का ब्रह्मलीन होना आध्यात्मिक जगत की अपूरणीय क्षति है।

प्रभु श्री राम से प्रार्थना है कि दिवंगत पुण्यात्मा को अपने श्री चरणों में स्थान तथा शोकाकुल अनुयायियों को यह दुःख सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करें।

ॐ शांति!

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) September 20, 2021

Recently, Giri had also demanded the inclusion of the Akhara Parishad in the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former CM Akhilesh Yadav expressed their condolences at Giri’s death.

“The death of Akhara Parishad president Shri Narendra Giri ji is extremely sad. Being devoted to spiritual traditions, he played a major role in connecting many streams of Sant Samaj together. May the Lord give him a place at your feet. Om shanti,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

In an statement, Adityanath called the mahant’s death “an irreparable loss for the spiritual world”.