india

Updated: Feb 22, 2019 14:36 IST

Swami Hansdevacharya, a key figure associated with the Ram temple movement, died on Friday in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district. Three of his associates traveling with him were injured in the accident. They were admitted to a community health centre in Bangarmau.

The accident took place early in the morning near Devkhari village of Ganj Moradabad on Agra-Lucknow expressway. The seer was heading to Haridwar from Prayagraj (Allahabad). The driver is said to have slept while driving the SUV, which crashed into the truck ahead.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP president Amit Shah condoled the demise of Hansdevacharya, who was the leader of the Bairagis campaigning for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya at the site where Babri Masjid existed.

The mosque was demolished in December 1992 by karsevaks (volunteers) who had gathered in the UP town following a call given by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party to push for construction of a Ram temple there. The VHP and the BJP have maintained that it was the place where Lord Ram was born.

The Supreme Court is hearing the title suit in the matter after a judgment of the Allahabad High Court was challenged before it. The high court, in 2010, ruled that the disputed land should be divided into three equal parts among three parties including the one representing Ram Lalla.

Hans Devacharya was an influential seer, who also headed an all-India body of saints.