A YouTube-based news channel 'The News Tracker - TNT' released a series of videos claiming a Sadhu at the Maha Kumbh Mela had drugged a minor girl and misbehaved with her. The reporter mentioned that the news team rescued the girl from a Sadhu, whom they believed to be fake, when he was trying to take her away with him. One of the videos showed the Sadhu stating that the girl wanted to live with him, so he was walking away with her.

The Sadhu was said to be a part of the Juna Akhada and was identified as Maharaj Sanjay Giri.

Police respond

Taking note of the TNT news anchor's claims, the Maha Kumbh Police wrote that the matter has been resolved and the girl has been reunited with her parents. A video showed the cops escorting her to the police vehicle to send her off to her house.

Vaibhav Krishna IPS, DIG Kumbh, Prayagraj responded to the incident and stated the claims made by the news channel to be false. He informed on X that an FIR has been registered against the reporter for spreading fake information and showing the spiritual event in a bad light. "@kumbhMelaPolUP sent her back to her family. No such incident happened with her. U r propagating false narrative repeatedly. FIR has been regtd angst u & legal action being ensured", the IPS officer wrote while confirming the girl had travelled to Prayagraj on January 16 without intimating her parents.

More details

"This girl wants to stay with me. I will take care of her", Giri said while speaking to the news anchor.

In the video, the girl was seen crying. It was learned that she hailed from the Bhadohi district of UP and had left her home without informing her parents about attending Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj. However, the girl claimed later that she attended the event with one of her relatives (Chacha) but lost his hand at the crowd.