Man tries to set ablaze Shankaracharya math

Bharuch: A man allegedly tried to set ablaze a Shankaracharya ‘math’ (monastic institution) in Bharuch town of Gujarat early on Friday and left behind a message threatening to harm its priest, said the police.

Following the incident, which was captured on a CCTV camera, police rushed to the spot and launched a probe to nab the culprit, said Bharuch district superintendent of police, Mayur Chavda.

The religious institution is located in the Navchowki Ovara area on the banks of the Narmada river. In the footage, a person in black clothes and a white cap can be seen flinging something towards the math door. He then walks up to the door and sets it on fire. Before setting the door ablaze, the unidentified man threw three to four pieces of paper towards the door. These papers had a handwritten message: “Gustakh Pir Ki Saza, Sar Tan Se Juda”, said another police officer who visited the premises after getting a call from the priest.

Math priest Muktanand Swami said he was on the premises at the time. Swami informed Shankaracharya Math and two adjoining temples belong to Dwarka Sharda Peeth, one of the four prominent areas of learning established by

Aadi Sankaracharya.