82 imposters posing as ascetics arrested in three days in Doon under Operation Kalnemi
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Police have arrested 82 imposters posing as ascetics within three days as part of Operation Kalnemi, a statewide campaign launched on the instructions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take action against those exploiting religion for personal gain. The operation, named after a deceptive demon in the Ramayana, is being implemented across Uttarakhand to identify and act against individuals disguising themselves as saints and exploiting public faith.
The Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that a total of 34 individuals were arrested on Sunday from various police station areas in Dehradun. Of these, 23 are residents of other States including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha and Rajasthan. Among those arrested are individuals from Faridabad, Kurukshetra, Patiala, Gonda, Bijnor, Shahjahanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Ghazipur, Amethi, Yamunanagar, Sundargarh, Ambala, Ajmer and several localities within Dehradun and Haridwar. Some of the accused are long-time residents of Uttarakhand but originally belong to other States. These individuals were found roaming in the garb of sadhus and saints and allegedly misleading people, especially women and youth, by making false promises of solving personal and domestic issues. Some of them were also reportedly involved in fraudulent activities, he said.
Singh informed that the police have been arresting these fake ascetics under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita and legal proceedings have been initiated against them. He said that he is directly monitoring the campaign and has issued directives to all station in-charges to identify and act against such individuals operating within their jurisdictions. He stated that the Operation Kalnemi aims to safeguard religious sentiments by identifying those misusing religious attire to deceive people.
The campaign focuses particularly on individuals who manipulate beliefs to commit fraud, lure victims with claims of spiritual solutions and engage in exploitative practices. Police are maintaining strict vigilance and encouraging public cooperation in reporting suspicious individuals posing as spiritual figures.
The SSP further stated that the campaign will continue in the coming days and urger citizens to stay cautious and report any suspicious behavior. Singh also clarified that the operation will not target genuine spiritual practitioners but will focus solely on those misusing religion to deceive the public.
