Uttarakhand: No trace of missing seer, sadhus threaten to launch agitation

Cabinet minister Madan Kaushik and ADG (law and order) Ashok Kumar met seers of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) today

Haridwar, September 30: The Uttarakhand government is trying to placate a top body of sadhus which has threatened to launch an agitation over Mahant Mohandas who has been missing around a fortnight now.

Cabinet minister Madan Kaushik and ADG (law and order) Ashok Kumar met seers of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP). An SIT headed by the Haridwar SSP has also been formed.

Kaushik met the seers thrice in the last 14 days to apprise them of the steps taken to trace the missing mahant.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had met the Akhara's sants along with his cabinet colleagues Kaushik and Dhan Singh Rawat on September 26 and announced the formation of the SIT.

Akhara chief Mahant Narendra Giri has to threatened to launch an agitation in Haridwar, Ayodhya and Allahabad if the police fails to trace the missing seer by October 2.

"Tracing the mahant and his safe rescue at the earliest is our priority. We are investigating the matter from all angles including property dispute and kidnapping," the ADG said.

Mahant Mohandas was going to Mumbai from Delhi by the Lokmanya Tilak Express on Sept 15. The seer was missing from his reserved seat when a disciple brought him something to eat in his coach in Bhopal.

PTI