Ascetic dies after 114-day fast for Ganga

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.

After four months of fasting for saving river Ganga, Swami Nigamananda Saraswati died on Monday at the Jolly Grant Himalayan Institute Hospital, Dehradun.  

The seer of Haridwar-based Matri Sadan Ashram, Swami Nigmanand was demanding immediate stopping of quarrying in the Ganga at Haridwar 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 coma since May 2.

...

The founder head of Matri Sadan Ashram Swami Shivanand had lodged a complaint against Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Haridwar district hospital Dr P K Bhatnagar and owner of Himalaya Stone Crusher Gyanesh Kumar in Kotwali police station of Haridwar on May 11 alleging Swami Nigamanand was poisoned on April 30 during treatment, following which he went into coma on May 2.

Nigamanand was admitted to Haridwar district hospital.

On April 30, he was given an injection by a nurse after which he went into coma on May 2, Shivanand had alleged. Later, the seer was shifted to the hospital in Jolly Grant.

Shivanand had alleged that Nigamanand was given 'Organo phosphate' through injection, which led to deterioration in his condition.

He was fighting a lone battle against stone crushers and illegal mining on the river bank.

No one paid heed -- the miners and crushers got a stay from the high court and mining continued unabated.

When Nigamanand's body was taken from the hospital mortuary on Tuesday morning, there were no ministers, no politicians and hardly any sadhus to accompany him in his final journey.