UP: Niranjani Akhara Mahant Ashish Giri shoots self, dies

Niranjani Akhara Mahant Ashish Giri Maharaj on Sunday morning committed suicide by shooting himself from his licensed pistol in Prayagraj district's Daryaganj area, Uttar Pradesh Police said.

City Superintendent of Police Brijesh Shrivastav told ANI, "According to a preliminary investigation, Maharaj shot himself dead as he was suffering from blood pressure and stomach disease due to which his liver was severely affected."

Shrivastav said that Ashish Giri's body is being sent for post-mortem.
Akhara Council president Narendra Giri said that he spoke to Ashish Giri over the phone at 8 am today and called him for breakfast.
"He (Ashish Giri) said that he will come for breakfast after taking bath but he did not reach. When other saints went to his room on the second floor, it was opened and his body was lying on the floor in a pool of blood," he said.

Akhara Council president informed that he was admitted to a Dehradun hospital in Dehradun following weakness. "He was in stress after doctors said you have drinking and smoking habit," he said.
The Forensic team is present at the site of the incident and further investigation is underway.

-ANI

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