Spiritual leader Dhirendra Krishna Shastri has refuted claims that a mobile phone was deliberately thrown at him during the march on Tuesday. Shastri, the Peethadhishwar of Bageshwar Dham, was participating in the yatra's sixth day when a mobile phone, along with flowers, was thrown towards him by a devotee. The phone accidentally hit his face.
Addressing the incident in a video shared by Bageshwar Dham Sarkar (Official) on X (formerly Twitter), Shastri clarified that the phone fell when a devotee, who was showering flowers, lost their grip. "A devotee was showering flowers at me, and the mobile phone accidentally slipped from their hand. The phone was very light, and I was not hurt. We returned the phone to the devotee. "
The spiritual leader also confirmed that he was informed by a police official about reports suggesting the phone was thrown with malice, which he firmly denied.
The Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padyatra, which began on November 21, is a 160-kilometre march that spans 11 days. The event has drawn thousands of supporters, including prominent figures such as wrestler Great Khali, actor Sanjay Dutt, and Congress MLA Jayawardhan Singh. Several saints and nationalist thinkers have also joined in support of the ‘Sanatan padayatra,’ which started in Chhatarpur and is heading towards Orchha in Madhya Pradesh.