Dramatic Clash: Attack at Maha Kumbh Mela Shakes Kinnar Akhara

The Kinnar Akhara's Mahamandaleshwar and three disciples were assaulted during the Maha Kumbh Mela. They sustained injuries and are currently hospitalized. The attack is believed to be linked to an ongoing rivalry among eunuchs. Authorities are probing the incident, with a formal complaint anticipated.

The revered Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhara and his three disciples fell victim to a vicious attack by unidentified attackers in the Maha Kumbh Mela's food area on Friday. The incident left all four individuals injured and requiring medical attention.

According to Mahamandaleshwar Kalyaninand Giri, the assailants, numbering over half a dozen, ambushed them as they were exiting the Akhara. Giri reported being assaulted with a sharp weapon, and when his disciples attempted to intervene, they too became targets of the attack.

After a tense confrontation, Giri and his disciples managed to flee to safety and were subsequently hospitalized. Preliminary inquiries suggest this brutal assault stems from an ongoing feud between rival eunuch factions. Earlier conflicts, like an attack on a eunuch named Himangi Sakhi, add to the complexity of the investigation, as police prepare for a formal complaint filing.

(With inputs from agencies.)