Haridwar: As COVID-19 cases in the country surges, Acharya Mahamandleshwar of Juna Akhara Swami on Saturday said his Akhara has immersed the deities and so for them the Kumbh Mela has effectively concluded.


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Taking to Twitter, Swami Avdheshanand Giri said the safety of the people of the country is Akhada`s first priority, and in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Juna Akhada is ending the Kumb Mela early.


"The safety of the people of India is our first priority. In view of the rising outbreak of the Corona epidemic, we have duly immersed all the deities drawn from Kumbh. This is the formal immersion-competition of Kumbh from Juna Akhada," he tweeted.



Avdheshanand urged people to not come to the Kumbh mela for bathing in large numbers due to the COVID-19 situation and appeled that the COVID-19 rules should be followed by all. Saving one's and other's lives is sacred, he said.


Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to Swami Avdheshanand Giri to inquire about the health of the seers who had tetsed positive of rthe novel coronavirus. PM Modi requested him to keep the religious congregation symbolic due to the pandemic.


Earlier, Niranjani Akhada had decided to opt out of the Kumbh Mela because of the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in the state.


"The main Shahi Snan held on the occasion of Mesh Sankranti on April 14 is over. Many in our akhada are showing Covid-19 symptoms. So, for us the Kumbh Mela is over," Niranjani Akhada secretary Ravindra Puri said.


At least 175 `sadhus` who attended Kumbh Mela have tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, as per Dr SK Jha, Chief Medical Officer of Haridwar, according to a report by ANI. "So far, 229 sadhus tested positive for the disease," Jha added.


The duration of the Kumbh Mela this year has been shortened to 30 days this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.