Mahant Narendra Giri death case: Autopsy conducted, third suspect arrested

PRAYAGRAJ: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday arrested the third suspect in connection with the suspicious death of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri.

The police have earlier arrested two other people, including prime suspect Anand Giri, in connection with the seer’s death. As of now, the police have taken into custody the seer’s estranged disciple Anand Giri, Aadya Tiwari, the chief priest of the Hanuman temple at Sangam, and his son Sandeep Tiwari. All three are being interrogated by senior police officials at the police lines, sources said.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem was conducted on the seer’s body at the Swaroop Rani Nehru Medical College to ascertain the exact cause of his death. The last rites of Mahanta Narendra Giri will be performed later today in the garden of Baghambari Math.

ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar had said in Lucknow on Tuesday that a case under section 306 of IPC (Abetment of suicide) has been registered against Anand Giri, whose name also surfaces in the suicide note of Mahant Narendra Giri.

He said that the case has been registered at George Town police station."Probe is underway. Anand Giri was taken into police custody along with 2 others," the ADG said. Mahant Narendra Giri had mentioned these three names in his suicide note and wrote that he is mentally disturbed due to being harassed by them.

Prayagraj Police has registered a case against Anand Giri in Georgetown police station under section 306 - abetment to suicide. A case has also been registered against the other two accused in the same section.

Mahant Narendra Giri committed suicide by hanging himself under suspicious circumstances on Monday. His body was found at his residence at Baghambari Math in Allapur.

A suicide note was found in which he had accused his disciple Anand Giri of harassing him. Anand Giri, the estranged disciple of Mahant Narendra Giri, was taken into custody by the police from his Haridwar ashram.

Before being taken into custody, Anand Giri appeared before the media and said that he had no doubt that his guru, Mahant Narendra Giri, had been murdered. "It should be revealed who the people are involved in this. There are many people who are suspicious, and the truth should come out. If I am found guilty then I should also be punished," he said.