"Culprit Won't Be Spared": Yogi Adityanath On Seer's Death; 1 Arrested

A day after Narendra Giri, the head of a top religious body - Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad - allegedly died by suicide in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, his closest disciple has been arrested.

The police have filed an FIR (First Information Report) against Anand Giri, who was Narendra Giri's protege and closest aide until they fell out in May. Caught by the police in Uttarakhand last evening, he has been accused of harassing the seer.

Anand Giri was allegedly expelled by the seer over allegations of fraud and financial mismanagement. There was an apparent patch-up a few days later, with a video showing Anand Giri seeking forgiveness at the feet of his mentor, but the police suspect it was short-lived.

The two other disciples detained for questioning are Sandeep Tiwari and Aadya Tiwari, who stayed with Narendra Giri.

According to the police, Narendra Giri's students found his body.

On Monday afternoon, when he did not come out of his home for his traditional public meeting, his students knocked and found the door bolted from inside. When they broke in, they found him dead.

The police said a suicide note had been found near the body and it mentioned Anand Giri.

"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," senior Prayagraj police official KP Singh told reporters on Monday.

Narendra Giri was an influential seer, seen frequently with top politicians of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the leaders who expressed grief at his death. "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 your feet. Om shanti," PM Modi tweeted.

"The death of president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, Mahant Narendra Giri, is an irreparable loss for the spiritual world. I pray to Lord Ram to provide his spirit a place at his feet and give strength to his followers to bear this pain," tweeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted.

The Chief Minister said “several pieces of evidence” had been collected and the “culprit will not be spared”.