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1,300 members of Mahanubhav Panth sect shifted from Latur to Pune
Around 1,300 members of ‘Mahanubhav Panth’ a sect worshiping lord Krishna, stranded in their Latur-based ashram in Maharashtra due to the lockdown, were on Sunday
Around 1,300 members of ‘Mahanubhav Panth’ a sect worshiping lord Krishna, stranded in their Latur-based ashram in Maharashtra due to the lockdown, were on Sunday shifted to their main base at Junnar in Pune district.
The members were brought in 40 buses and following social distancing norms after the state government issued a special order in view of the damage caused to the ashram by unseasonal rains at Latur where around 4,000 members had gathered. The ashram at Latur district was in open field away from main town.
The Disaster Management, Help and Rehabilitation department on April 17 had issued a special order instructing the Latur district administration to make special transport arrangements to shift all the 1,341 followers of Mahanubhav Panth. These members were brought to Devdatta Ashram in Junnar, which is their main base having capacity to house around 4,000 people, said district collector Naval Kishore Ram.
“We have followed all norms while bringing them here. These 1,341 followers were brought to Devdatta Ashram in Junnar in 40 buses on Sunday,” said an official from district administration on anonymity.
According to officials, these sect members went to another ashram at Nilanga in Latur district, 400 kilometres from Pune, on February 26 for a religious congregation. However, the lockdown prevented them from coming back to Pune in March.
The order issued by the state government stated, that local administration at Latur was asked to carry out health check-up of all these members following which the journey was allowed.
“Due to lockdown, all these people could not return to their original ashram in Pune district. Meanwhile, rain and thunderstorm caused heavy damage to the ashram in Nilanga and the accommodation of the occupants became an issue. So the district administration was instructed to carry out health check-up of all these followers before allowing them to board the buses,” the order stated.
