Attempt to burn Hanuman Garhi saint alive in Ayodhya; police orders probe

An alleged attempt was made to burn alive Mahant Mahesh Das, a seer of Hanuman Garhi’s Govindgarh Ashram, in the early hours of Friday in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

According to the saint, at around 2:45 am, unidentified individuals cut the window mesh of his room and threw inflammable material inside while he was asleep.

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Mahesh Das said he woke up when the heat of the spreading flames reached his bed. “The entire room was filled with smoke and fire. I somehow ran outside and raised an alarm,” he recounted.

Hearing his cries, the disciples rushed to help and managed to douse the fire within half an hour using water and sand. By then, bedding and other belongings had been completely burnt. He immediately informed the police.

The seer alleges that the attack was an attempt on his life, motivated by internal disputes within the religious establishment.

Mahesh Das accused Mahant Ramcharan Das of the Basantiya Patti of conspiring against him. He claimed that several individuals, including Laddoo Das, Mannu Das, Maniram Das, Mamta Devi, Neetu Devi, Khushboo, and Shivani—some of whom were earlier expelled from Hanuman Garhi—had been plotting against him.

He also alleged that these individuals had previously attempted to implicate him in false criminal cases, including a rape charge.

According to Mahesh Das, financial disputes are a major factor. He claimed that for the past two years, Basantiya Patti’s head priest had stopped all financial assistance to him and had even taken funds from donation boxes, leading to alleged misappropriation of nearly Rs 2 crore.

A complaint, he said, had already been made to Gaddinasheen Mahant Premdas, who had reprimanded Ramcharan Das, but “the conspiracy continues.”

The seer said Hanuman Garhi comprises four major sects—Ujjainiya, Basantiya, Sagari, and Haridwari—each headed by four mahants, overseen by a central Gaddinasheen. Across these sects, there are 40 to 50 ashrams, each with its own mahant. Of Basantiya Patti’s 40 ashrams, he heads the Govindgarh Ashram.

He alleged that the attempt to kill him was connected to efforts to “capture the property of the ashram.”

Meanwhile, police officials visited the ashram and recorded Mahesh Das’s statement. They said the cause of the fire had not yet been established but added that CCTV footage and electronic surveillance were being examined.

“Whoever is responsible will be identified and arrested,” authorities assured.

Mahesh Das is also known for his claims of extraordinary spiritual discipline. He states that he performed 1.51 crore Kapalbhati strokes in 1661 hours, a record he says was documented by the Golden Book of World Records on August 30–31.

He also claims to practice 11 hours of Kapalbhati daily, having sustained himself on fruits alone for five months while preparing for the record. Previously, he said, he had taken 13,100 dips in the Saryu River, also considered a record.