Photos: Locals fume as 'baba' quietly builds temple on Uttarakhand glacier

A self-styled godman, Baba Yogi Chaitanya Akash, constructed an unauthorized temple on government land at an altitude exceeding 5,000 meters on the Sunderdhunga glacier in Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand.

Baba Yogi Chaitanya claimed divine instructions for building the temple at Devi Kund, a sacred spot traditionally visited during the Nanda Raj Yatra every 12 years.

Local villager Mahendra Singh Dhami expressed concern that the temple construction has desecrated Devi Kund, turning it into a bathing spot for the Baba.

The local administration, initially unaware, has now launched an investigation into the unauthorized construction. Kapkot sub-divisional magistrate Anurag Arya confirmed action will be taken by a joint team from the forest department, police, and revenue office.

Villager Prakash Kumar condemned the temple construction as blasphemy against local traditions and deities.

ND Pandey, ranger of Glacier Range, mentioned that an assessment team is being dispatched to evaluate the situation and take necessary actions.

The incident highlights lapses in intelligence and enforcement, particularly amidst ongoing anti-encroachment efforts in sensitive ecological zones.