Bareilly city magistrate resigns over UGC law and Shankaryacharya issue

Bareilly: Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri resigned from his post on Monday, triggering wide discussion in administrative and political circles. Agnihotri, a 2016-batch PCS officer, said he was deeply hurt by an incident involving Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand and his disciples, and also expressed strong opposition to the new UGC law.

His resignation came after a photograph surfaced on social media showing him holding a poster that read “#UGC Roll Back, black law withdraw. India will not tolerate the insult of Shankaracharya and saints.” The image quickly went viral, intensifying debate around his decision.

A native of Kanpur Nagar, Agnihotri was selected as Deputy Collector in 2019 and has served in Unnao, Balrampur, Etah and Lucknow. Born on May 19, 1982, he took charge as city magistrate of Bareilly on May 27, 2025.

After his posting in Bareilly, Agnihotri had created a WhatsApp group named “Punruthan Bareilly Parivar.” The group currently has more than 500 members and is used for discussions on social and public issues. News of his resignation first circulated through this group, where several members appealed to him to reconsider his decision. Others supported his move, while some argued that remaining in a constitutional position was equally important.

In statements attributed to him, Agnihotri said the new UGC rules treat general category students as “self-declared offenders” and could put their careers and personal lives at risk. He claimed the law would lead to exploitation and deepen inequality. He also criticised what he described as the silence of MPs and MLAs from the Brahmin community, urging them to resign and stand with society.

In his resignation letter, Agnihotri referred to an incident during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj, alleging that Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand, his disciples and young priests were mistreated by local police during Mauni Amavasya bathing rituals.

He wrote that the alleged assault on religious figures and the dragging of a young priest by his shikha amounted to an insult to religious and cultural symbols. He described the incident as deeply disturbing and said it reflected an atmosphere of disrespect towards Brahmins and saints.