Atmabodhananda who had gone on a hunger-strike against quarrying in the Ganga river was released from the AIIMS, Rishikesh on Wednesday noon. He was brought to the Matri Sadan Ashram where he has continued his protest on the 17th day. He was earlier forcefully picked up by the district administration team on February 29 at midnight following which the Matri Sadan had lodged a complaint at CJM court. The hearing of the case shall be held on March 10.
Swami Atmabodhananda was picked up from his ashram on 29 February and taken to Doon hospital by the district administration team. His mentor Swami Shivananda lodged a complaint against 15 persons including ADM G S Nangiyal, SP City Navneet Singh, CO Kankhal Chandrmohan Singh, SDM Pratyush Singh, SO Kankhal Ritesh Shah.
Speaking to the Pioneer, Shivananda said, “It is pathetic that the hospital authorities did not offer even water to Atmabodhananda. When Doon hospital authorities refused to admit him, he was taken to AIIMS and today they also discharged him with no consent of patients’ kins available.” Breaking the door lock open and forcibly picking taking away an ascetic amounts to a kidnapping influenced by the mining mafia," alleged Shivananda. He also alleged that the police had tried to pick Atmabodhananda from the hospital but could not succeed and he was brought in ashram’s vehicle.
Shivananda further said that if the demands pressed by the ashram of increasing the Kumbh area to
include Bhogpur village and blanket ban on mining is not met by the district administration within two days he himself would refrain from any water intake.
Notably in the written complaint made by him in the CJM court, Shivananda had also alleged that in an earlier attempt too, police and administrative officials had forcefully lifted Swami Nigamananda who was on hunger strike on the issue and later poisoned during treatment.