Holy dip row at Sangam as Shankaracharya alleges saints were assaulted, stopped

January 18, 2026

Prayagraj: Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand on Sunday claimed that he was stopped by the state administration from proceeding towards the Sangam Nose during the Prayagraj Magh Mela on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. He alleged that police personnel blocked him mid-way to the Sangam ghat and forced him and his followers to return to his Akhara without taking the holy dip.

According to the Shankaracharya, his palanquin was halted midway and senior police officials allegedly pushed and roughed up his disciples. Citing the situation, he decided not to proceed further, alleging that saints were being “assaulted” during the process.

‘Administration Forced Us to Turn Back,’ Says Shankaracharya

Expressing displeasure over the handling of the situation by the state administration, Swami Avimukteshwaranand said the conduct of the authorities compelled him to withdraw. He also announced that he would not take the holy dip on Mauni Amavasya.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “Now the situation is that we are being stopped from taking the holy bath. Let us see what happens next. The administration can do whatever it wants. We have told our people to return, as the administration is stopping the process. There is no reason for us to move forward. We are supporting the administration.” He added that it was now up to the authorities to clarify what was wrong.

Mauni Amavasya Sees Massive Turnout Amid Tight Security

Mauni Amavasya marks the third and largest bathing day of the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj and traditionally witnesses massive participation from saints and devotees. Despite dense fog and cold weather, a huge number of pilgrims reached the Sangam Ghat early Sunday morning to take the holy dip.

To ensure safety and smooth movement of pilgrims, strict security and traffic arrangements were put in place, with NDRF and SDRF teams deployed, and CCTV cameras and drones used for continuous monitoring. Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agarwal said around 50 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip at various ghats since 6 p.m. on Saturday, while District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said the bathing process had been going on smoothly for over six hours without disruption.