Saints were beaten with sticks in Magh Mela! Police dragged Shankaracharya’s disciple by his hair

A very shocking news has emerged from the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj. Here a fierce clash broke out between the disciples of Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand and the police administration. The matter escalated so much that the policemen not only threw a disciple of Shankaracharya on the ground but also dragged him by his hair and took him inside the police post. According to media reports, the police also assaulted the disciple and punched him, causing sudden tension in the calm atmosphere of the fair.

Dispute over tradition and permission

Actually, this whole controversy started when Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand went for bath. Police say that Shankaracharya was coming riding in his palanquin, which was against the tradition and protocol. Giving clarification on this matter, the District Magistrate (DM) said that Shankaracharya had come on his palanquin without any prior permission. When the police tried to stop him, his supporters and disciples clashed with the policemen.

Umbrella of sedan broken in scuffle

The situation became quite violent in this heated clash between the two sides. During the scuffle between the police and the disciples, the canopy (umbrella) of Shankaracharya’s palanquin also broke. Due to this uproar and chaos, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwarananda could not even complete his holy bath. Heavy police force is deployed at the spot and since the incident, there is a lot of anger among the devotees and saints regarding this behavior of the administration.

#Prayagraj In the Magh Mela, the police and officers stopped the group of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Avimukteshwaranand Ji Maharaj and beat and pushed the elderly saints and Vedapathi children. Shankaracharya returns from Sangam without bathing#LiveVideo pic.twitter.com/OA8aULMM88

— Narendra Pratap (@hindipatrakar) January 18, 2026