Police nab over 300 fake ‘babas’ in Uttarakhand

In a sweeping crackdown on imposters exploiting religious sentiments, Uttarakhand Police on Tuesday has taken action against more than 300 fake babas (holy men) under Operation Kalnemi across the Kumaon division.

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The initiative, launched under the directive of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, aims to weed out fraudulent spiritual figures misguiding the public in the name of faith.

Speaking to IANS, Inspector General (IG) Kumaon Riddhim Agarwal confirmed that the operation was conducted across all six districts of the Kumaon region, where over 300 individuals posing as saints, babas, or spiritual guides were identified. Action has been initiated through FIRs, challans, and preventive detentions.

"These individuals were exploiting people's faith through superstition, deceit, and false claims of divine powers," Agarwal told IANS.