‘Blackmailed over morphed pic with girl,’ says Giri’s ‘suicide note’ | India News – Times of India
The seer community in Haridwar on Tuesday alleged that Akhara Parishad chief Narendra Giri’s death was the result of a “conspiracy” even as details from a suicide note purportedly handwritten by the mahant revealed that he was forced to take his own life as he was being “blackmailed” by his disciple Anand Giri over a “morphed photo with a girl”.
The note also named a priest of the Bhagambari mutt, Adhya Tiwari, and his son, Sandeep. All three were arrested. In the FIR lodged in the case, Anand has been accused of abetment of suicide. Additional DG (Prayagraj zone) Prem Prakash formed an 18-member SIT to conduct investigations into Giri’s death.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath and former CM Akhilesh Yadav were among prominent people who paid their tributes to the late mahant. While Yogi said the culprits wouldn’t be spared, Akhilesh sought a probe by a sitting high court judge.
“I came to know that Anand Giri was going to share with the public a morphed photo that showed me with a girl. Anand asked me that once these allegations spread, how many people will you prove your innocence to? I have lived a life of dignity… and I can’t live with the humiliation that I will be subjected to…” said the suicide note, which was found in Bhagambari mutt along with Giri’s body on Monday.
Seers in Haridwar, including disciples of Narendra Giri, have now alleged that his death was the result of a “conspiracy” by those who were angry with the mahant over a series of controversial decisions he had made as Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) chief.
“It is unlikely that there are just one or two people behind his death. There are many who were upset by decisions he made since he took over as Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad head in 2016,” said a seer.
In 2017, Giri had come out with a list of fake ascetics, angering many. “Such hypocrite babas should be put in prison. Their assets must be investigated,” he had said. TOI had in its edition dated September 10 that year reported the development that had sent ripples within the sadhu community across the country. He had announced another list with the names of more fake sadhus two months later, in December.
In 2019, Giri was accused in connection with the murder of Ashish Giri, secretary of Panchayati akhara at Daryaganj (Allahabad), over a property dispute after Ashish was found dead in mysterious circumstances. Police investigation, however, gave Giri a clean chit.
Giri had also angered a section of seers during Kumbh 2021 when he refused to give ABAP recognition to the transgender akhara, introduced for the first time in the festival. “Giri had many differences with many people. His disciple had made similar threats of exposing him and other sadhus earlier this year as well. But they had solved their differences a few months ago. So why blackmail him again all of a sudden? What did he want?” asked a seer.
The note also named a priest of the Bhagambari mutt, Adhya Tiwari, and his son, Sandeep. All three were arrested. In the FIR lodged in the case, Anand has been accused of abetment of suicide. Additional DG (Prayagraj zone) Prem Prakash formed an 18-member SIT to conduct investigations into Giri’s death.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath and former CM Akhilesh Yadav were among prominent people who paid their tributes to the late mahant. While Yogi said the culprits wouldn’t be spared, Akhilesh sought a probe by a sitting high court judge.
“I came to know that Anand Giri was going to share with the public a morphed photo that showed me with a girl. Anand asked me that once these allegations spread, how many people will you prove your innocence to? I have lived a life of dignity… and I can’t live with the humiliation that I will be subjected to…” said the suicide note, which was found in Bhagambari mutt along with Giri’s body on Monday.
Seers in Haridwar, including disciples of Narendra Giri, have now alleged that his death was the result of a “conspiracy” by those who were angry with the mahant over a series of controversial decisions he had made as Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) chief.
“It is unlikely that there are just one or two people behind his death. There are many who were upset by decisions he made since he took over as Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad head in 2016,” said a seer.
In 2017, Giri had come out with a list of fake ascetics, angering many. “Such hypocrite babas should be put in prison. Their assets must be investigated,” he had said. TOI had in its edition dated September 10 that year reported the development that had sent ripples within the sadhu community across the country. He had announced another list with the names of more fake sadhus two months later, in December.
In 2019, Giri was accused in connection with the murder of Ashish Giri, secretary of Panchayati akhara at Daryaganj (Allahabad), over a property dispute after Ashish was found dead in mysterious circumstances. Police investigation, however, gave Giri a clean chit.
Giri had also angered a section of seers during Kumbh 2021 when he refused to give ABAP recognition to the transgender akhara, introduced for the first time in the festival. “Giri had many differences with many people. His disciple had made similar threats of exposing him and other sadhus earlier this year as well. But they had solved their differences a few months ago. So why blackmail him again all of a sudden? What did he want?” asked a seer.
