Even as yoga guru Baba Ramdev vacated the hospital bed on Tuesday and went straight to address media persons, not many realised that another ascetic, who had been admitted to the same hospital, had lost his life after fasting for 114 days.
Amid allegations that Swami Nigamanand was poisoned, authorities on Thursday took fresh sample for a second viscera test of the seer who died after a four-month fast against quarrying in Ganga river bed. A panel of doctors took a second viscera sample of Nigamanand at Matri Sadan ashram where his body was kept following a direction by Haridwar District Magistrate R Meenakshisundaram. The founder head of the ashram and his guru Swami Shivanand had given a written request.
Three days after Swami Nigamananda died after a 114-day fast against the desecration of River Ganga, his father Prakash Chandra Jha has demanded that his body be handed over to him for the last rites. The seer of Haridwar-based Matri Sadan Ashram, Swami Nigamananda was demanding immediate stopping of quarrying in the Ganga and alleged corruption in the government's system with active involvement of the mafia. He had begun his fast on February 19 and was in a coma since May 2.
Swami Nigamananda, who was on fast for nearly four months demanding a halt to quarrying in Ganga, died due to coma, Septicaemia and degenerative brain disorder, his postmortem report said.
'Two have already sacrificed their lives.' 'How many more shall need to sacrifice before the government listens?' 'Four, five or six? They are ready, waiting.' After Ganga campaigner G D Agrawal's death, a Haridwar ashram's sadhus are on a relay fast unto death.
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