Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Protest: A controversy erupted upon the arrival of Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, who was on his way to bathe in the Sangam on occasion of Mauni Amavasya. The situation became tense when administration stopped his palanquin from proceeding. Shankaracharya, along with his followers, was traveling in a palanquin towards the Sangam confluence, but they were stopped due to barricades.
Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Protest: Scuffle between police and supporters
Angry at the administration’s actions, Shankaracharya’s supporters began protesting. A scuffle soon broke out between senior police officers and the supporters. The commotion and tension continued at Sangam banks for about three hours. When the situation did not improve, Shankaracharya returned without taking the holy dip.
Avimukteshwaranand Police Scuffle: Shankaracharya Makes Serious Allegations
After returning to his camp, Shankaracharya spoke to the media and alleged that police deliberately created a stampede-like situation to try and kill him. He said that some police officers were not in uniform and that he was mistreated. He clarified that he would not take a bath until the guilty officers escorted him to the Sangam respectfully.
Prayagraj Magh Mela Strike: Sit-in Protest, Silent Fast, and Hunger Strike Begin
Distressed by the incident, Shankaracharya, along with his supporters, started a sit-in protest outside his camp on Triveni Marg, which continued late into the night. After sunset, he observed a silent fast and also began a hunger strike, which is still ongoing. He also warned of boycotting the fair.
Prayagraj Magh Mela 2026: How Did the Whole Incident Begin?
On Sunday morning, at around 9:47 AM, Shankaracharya arrived at the Sangam Nose in a palanquin with approximately 200 followers. About 50 meters before Sangam Ghat, the police stopped them by putting up barricades. The police urged him to go and bathe on foot, but the Shankaracharya insisted on bathing from the palanquin.
AVIMUKTESHWARANAND POLICE SCUFFLE: Argument with Officials
When the palanquin continued to move forward, Divisional Commissioner Soumya Agarwal instructed Police Commissioner Jogendra Kumar to handle the situation. The Police Commissioner arrived with his force and tried to reason with them, but situation escalated into an argument. During this time, some of the supporters were taken to the police station.
PRAYAGRAJ MAGH MELA STRIKE: Allegations of Assault on Saints
Shankaracharya alleged that the police assaulted several saints, including his disciple Swami Mukundanand Giri. There were also allegations that some saints were dragged by their hair. By around 12:15 PM, situation had deteriorated to the point where Shankaracharya was left alone in the palanquin.
Outrage intensifies after the ceremonial umbrella is broken
The palanquin was left on Akshayavat road, where it is alleged that Shankaracharya’s ceremonial umbrella was broken. The umbrella is considered extremely important in religious tradition, so this incident caused great anger among the religious community and his followers. The Shankaracharya stood alone for about half an hour, after which his supporters escorted him back to his camp.
PRAYAGRAJ MAGH MELA 2026: Administration’s side
Divisional Commissioner Soumya Agarwal stated that the Sangam area was declared a no-vehicle zone on the day of Amavasya (new moon). According to her, the Shankaracharya arrived without permission, riding in a palanquin with a large number of followers. The barrier was broken, causing great inconvenience to ordinary devotees. The administration says that any kind of untoward incident could have happened in such a large crowd.
Allegations of breaking the barrier
The Police Commissioner announced on a loudspeaker that Shankaracharya’s supporters had broken the barrier at pontoon bridge number two. However, the supporters denied this allegation. The police are now investigating the matter using CCTV footage from 9:30 AM.
