24 sadhus in Haridwar killed or disappeared in last 20 years

Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) chief Narendra Giri's death has brought the spotlight back on the seers in Haridwar who were allegedly murdered, or had disappeared without a trace in recent years.

The seer community in Haridwar listed out at least 24 such cases over the past 20 years, said a TOI report. Here are some of the more famous cases it mentioned.

• On September 16, 2017, Mahant Mohan Das from the Udaseen Panchayati Bada Akhara boarded a train from Haridwar to Mumbai. He never reached his destination. Incidentally, the seer had helped Narendra Giri come out with a list of fake sadhus.
• On April 14, 2012, Sudhir Giri, a seer from the Mahanirwani Akhara, was allegedly shot dead near Haridwar for opposing a land deal.
• In July 2007, Baba Ramdev’s guru Shankar Dev mysteriously disappeared while taking a morning walk at Kankhal in Haridwar.
• In August 2002, seer Hariyanand was allegedly killed along with his disciple
• In June 2001, Swami Vishnugiri and four seers were allegedly killed in Haridwar. The same month, another seer, Brahmanand, was found murdered.
• In December 2000, Sadhvi Premanand was found murdered.

Investigations into all these cases reached nowhere. The report quoted, in particular, an unnamed seer pointing out the mysterious disappearance of Mahant Mohan Das after his report on fake sadhus angered many.


"This is why many of us find it hard to believe that Giri took his life. We have been saying that his death is the result of a conspiracy," the seer said.