Bihar court summons the Guru of Swami Nigamanand

Patna, June 20 (IANS) A local court in Bihar Monday summoned the guru of a Hindu leader who died fasting to save the Ganga from pollution.

Swami Shivanand of Haridwar in Uttarakhand was issued the summon by the court of sub divisional officer in Darbhanga district, a police officer said.

The action comes two days after Satyam Kumar, brother of Swami Nigamananda, who died after being on hunger strike for over two-and-a-half months, lodged a police complaint against Shivanand.

Kumar said he feared for his own and his family’s life from the Swami. The complaint was filed in Kewti police station in Darbhanga district, about 200 km from here.

The court directed Swami Shivanand to appear before it June 28.

Swami Nigmananda was born in Ladari village in Darbhanga and spent his childhood there. He left the village when he was 17.

Nigamananda was 34 years old when he died June 13 in a hospital in Dehradun. He began his fast Feb 19 against illegal quarrying being carried out in the Ganga river bed with the alleged connivance of officials.