The Uttarakhand Police have arrested 82 fake saints and sadhus during a major crackdown called Operation Kalanemi. This campaign was launched after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered strict action against those cheating people in the name of religion. The operation started on Thursday and focused on identifying people pretending to be holy men.
Dehradun’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ajay Singh, said that the fake babas were arrested from different parts of the state, especially in Dehradun. One of the arrested was a Bangladeshi national, Rukn Rakam, also known as Shah Alam. He was caught from the Sahaspur area of the city.
SSP Singh explained that many teams were sent to different areas where they received tips about such imposters. The teams visited places where fake babas and sadhus were reported to be misleading people and collecting money by using religious appearances.
Among the 34 people arrested on Sunday, 23 were from other states. The total number of arrests over the past three days has reached 82. Legal action is now being taken against them under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which is India’s new criminal law.
Chief Minister Dhami said the name Operation Kalanemi was inspired by the mythological demon Kalanemi, who used to disguise himself as a saint to trick people. He compared the arrested fake babas to Kalanemi, saying they were harming society in the same way by pretending to be spiritual leaders.
The operation is especially important as it is happening during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra and the Kanwar Yatra—two major religious events in Uttarakhand that attract lakhs of pilgrims. These events often draw many sadhus and spiritual leaders. However, the police have warned that some of these may not be genuine.
Hindu religious groups have shown strong support for the campaign. Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Parishad, said the Chief Minister made the right decision. He explained that fake babas often take money from Kanwariyas (pilgrims during Kanwar Yatra) and even mistreat those who refuse to pay. He stressed that only real saints should be allowed to serve pilgrims.
The head of the Akhand Parshuram Akhada also backed the police action. He said Aadhaar cards of all sadhus should be checked to confirm their identity. He added that fake sadhus damage the reputation of real spiritual leaders and should face strict punishment.
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Even the Supreme Court of India has previously spoken about this issue. The court said that fake babas give a bad name to genuine saints and spoil the image of spiritual India.
Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt also commented on the issue. He said some people try to disturb society by taking advantage of people’s faith. He supported the government’s steps and said that those who break the law and cheat others should face strict action.
The police have said that Operation Kalanemi will continue in the coming days. It will focus more during religious gatherings to prevent imposters from using religion for personal gain. The authorities want to ensure that only real spiritual figures are present during these holy events.
The campaign has been appreciated by many citizens and leaders across Uttarakhand. People believe it will help protect their faith and stop criminals from taking advantage of religion.
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