Over 300 fake babas, including Bangladeshi national, arrested in Uttarakhand under Operation Kaalnemi

Dehradun: In a major crackdown on fraudulent spiritual practices, Uttarakhand Police have arrested more than 300 fake godmen under Operation Kaalnemi, a special drive launched to identify and act against imposters posing as religious figures.

Among those arrested is a Bangladeshi national, who was operating illegally in the state. Under this operation, the Uttarakhand police have verified over 4,000  people who were allegedly cheating and playing with religious sentiments of the people and hiding their identity. Haridwar police PRO, DS Kohli confirmed that a total of 315 "fake babas" have been arrested after verifying more than 4,000 sadhus.

These individuals were found to be misleading people

The operation was carried out across multiple districts, including Haridwar, Dehradun, and Udham Singh Nagar, where many self-styled babas had set up camps and ashrams. These individuals were found to be misleading people, collecting money through false promises of miracles, healing, and spiritual blessings.

Among these arrested fake babas, there is a Bangladeshi national who was found living illegally in Haridwar and had been posing as a healer. He is now being investigated for possible links to cross-border activities and visa violations.

Arrested godmen had no religious or spiritual credentials

According to officials, the arrested godmen had no religious or spiritual credentials and were using fake identities to gain followers. Some were involved in financial fraud, while others were accused of exploiting vulnerable individuals, including women and the elderly.

Police teams worked in coordination with intelligence units and local administrations to verify the backgrounds of suspected individuals. The operation revealed that many of these fake babas had criminal records or were wanted in other states. In some cases, they had been operating under different names to avoid detection. 

Operation Kaalnemi was inspired by the mythological demon Kaalnemi

The name Operation Kalanemi was inspired by the mythological demon Kaalnemi, who disguised himself to mislead and harm others. Officials say the goal of the operation is to cleanse religious spaces of imposters and protect people from being cheated in the name of faith.

So far, the police have verified the credentials of over 4,000 spiritual leaders, and more arrests are expected as investigations continue. The crackdown has also led to the sealing of several unauthorised ashrams and spiritual centers.

Operation is against those who misuse religious identity for personal gain

Senior police officers stated that the operation is not against religion or genuine spiritual leaders, but against those who misuse religious identity for personal gain. "We respect all faiths, but we cannot allow fraud in the name of spirituality,” said a senior official. Locals have welcomed the move, saying it was long overdue. "Many of these babas were fooling innocent people and collecting huge donations. It’s good that the truth is coming out,” said a resident of Haridwar.

Awareness campaigns are also being planned to educate people

The police have urged citizens to report suspicious activities and verify the background of spiritual leaders before attending their gatherings or donating money. Awareness campaigns are also being planned to educate people about the risks of blindly following unverified godmen.