Granddaughters of Hindu saint Baba Neem Karoli, who is in focus again following the release of the biographical film Hanuman Ansh, have filed a formal complaint with the district administration alleging illegal occupation of his ancestral home.
Six of his granddaughters have filed the complaint over the property, which is located in Akbarpur village of Uttar Pradesh, alleging that it has been illegally occupied by a trust currently headed by their aunt, news agency PTI reported.
Following the complaint, District Magistrate Santosh Kumar Sharma has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the allegations.
The committee is headed by Additional District Magistrate (Judicial) Arvind Kumar Dwivedi and includes Tundla Sub-Divisional Magistrate Divya Singh and District Tourism Officer Vishal Srivastava.
What is the dispute?
The dispute centres on House No. 154 and adjoining structures in Akbarpur village under Tundla tehsil, the birthplace of the saint, who was born Lakshmi Narayan Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}The dispute centres on House No. 154 and adjoining structures in Akbarpur village under Tundla tehsil, the birthplace of the saint, who was born Lakshmi Narayan Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}The site, which is currently being developed as a tourist attraction by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, includes the saint’s meditation room, dining area, guest quarters and bedroom.
The house -- a duplex constructed on an approximately 4,000-square-foot plot -- is currently managed by the Shri Neem Karoli Maharaj Trust, headed by Baba Neem Karoli's daughter Girija Devi Bhatele, according to PTI.
His late wife Rambeti was its former president.
Why did the dispute arise?
The dispute surfaced after a family event on August 24, when the six daughters of Baba Neem Karoli’s late son, Dharm Narayan Sharma, were allegedly denied accommodation at the ancestral property, PTI reported, citing family members.
Following the incident, the six granddaughters — Sunita Sharma, Archana Sharma, Vandana Sharma, Bhavna Rawat, Ritu Tiwari and Richa Rawat — submitted a representation to the District Magistrate, seeking the removal of the property from the Trust’s control.
Manoj Rawat, husband of Bhavna Rawat, said the family had submitted relevant property documents to the inquiry committee.
However, Dhananjay Sharma, son of the saint’s other late son, Anek Singh Sharma, rejected the allegations, saying the property had been handed over to the Trust in line with Baba Neem Karoli’s wishes. He also appealed to family members to resolve the matter amicably.
Also Read: Who was Neem Karoli Baba, the spiritual guru at the centre of the movie 'Hanuman Ansh’ Kainchi Dham
Trust secretary Sanjay Gupta denied any illegal occupation or internal dispute, saying that he had been appointed by Dharm Narayan Sharma and continues to serve the institution. He added that the Trust had not received any official notice from the district administration so far.
(With PTI inputs)