Missing for 27 years, Jharkhand man who turned sadhu 'spotted' by kin at Kumbh Mela

Despite their insistence, the man who now identifies himself as Baba Rajkumar Aghori refused to recognize Dhanwa Devi as his wife or Kamlesh and Vimlesh as his sons.
Baba Rajkumar Aghori (Photo | Special arrangement)
Baba Rajkumar Aghori (Photo | Special arrangement)
Updated on
2 min read

RANCHI: While the Kumbh Mela is largely known for the separation of family members, the opposite has happened with a family from Jharkhand. Gangasagar Yadav (65), a resident of Bhuli in Dhanbad, who went missing 27 years ago, was allegedly spotted there, living as an Aghori Sadhu with a Sadhvi.

According to Vimlesh Yadav, Gangasagar’s younger son, a relative who visited the Kumbh Mela spotted him there. The relative took a photograph and sent it to the family in Dhanbad. After looking at the picture, he rushed along with his mother Dhanwa Devi and his younger brother Kamlesh to the Kumbh Mela, where his father was identified by his mother.

Despite their insistence, the man who now identifies himself as Baba Rajkumar Aghori refused to recognize Dhanwa Devi as his wife or Kamlesh and Vimlesh as his sons. His family, however, is certain about his identity, pointing to distinguishing features such as his long teeth and a scar on his forehead.

Dhanwa Devi, along with their two sons and his brothers, has been camping at Kumbh Nagar, trying to persuade him to acknowledge his old identity.

After his denial, some of the family members have returned home, while others remain at the Kumbh Mela, closely monitoring him and his Sadhvi. After the festival concludes, they plan to seek a DNA test to prove themselves right.

“We have given an application to the Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday for a DNA test in order to find out whether our claim is right or wrong. The Deputy Commissioner has asked us to come on Monday,” said Vimlesh Yadav. If they turn out to be wrong, then they will unconditionally apologize to the Aghori, he added.

According to Dhanwa Devi, Gangasagar went to Patna in 1998 and never returned. Relatives searched for him across Bihar and other states but found no trace.

“My husband Gangasagar Yadav was in the cattle business. One morning, he left the family and was untraceable. We searched a lot but could not find him. We thought we would never find him again but recently someone informed that he was spotted in the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj,” she said. "At that time, my elder son was only two years old, while my younger son was still in the womb," she added.

"After getting the information, I went to Prayagraj on January 26 along with my sons and other family members. After searching for long, we finally found him there. I recognised him as soon as I saw him and kept pleading with him to come home with us, but he pretended to be a stranger. He did not recognise me and kept on chanting the name of Mahadev,” said Dhanwa Devi.

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