Bhaiyyuji Maharaj, a Madhya Pradesh-based spiritual guru who had prominent followers from different political parties, committed suicide on Tuesday by shooting himself at his residence.
The 50-year-old guru, who was recently given the status of a Minister of State by the government in a controversial decision which he had declined, died after he was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition.
"Bhaiyyuji Maharaj has shot himself at his residence at Khandwa Road here," said Indore's Deputy Inspector General Harinarayanachari Mishra, who had earlier termed the guru's condition as critical and that doctors are monitoring the situation.
ndore DIG Harinarayanchari Mishra said there were half a dozen people at home, including Bhaiyyuji’s wife and mother, at the time of the incident. Mishra said a suicide note, written in English and talking of “stress”, and a pistol were recovered from the room.
The note, as per police, said: “Somebody should be there to handle duties of family. I am leaving to (too) much stressed out, fed up.”
Earlier the DIG told The Indian Express that family dispute was the probable reason behind the suspected suicide.
Investigators have ruled out foul play.
Reports said that Maharaj shot himself in the head and was immediately rushed to the hospital but efforts to save his life failed.
The reports also said he had left a suicide note saying he was depressed. "Somebody should be there to handle duties of family. I am leaving too much stressed out, fed up," the note reportedly said. Police said it was probing whether it was left by him.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed grief over the death and offered their condolences.
Chouhan said in a message that the country has lost a personality that is a confluence of culture, knowledge and service. "Your thoughts will motivate the society to walk on the path of serving humanity till eternity," he said in a tweet.
"Got to know about the sad demise of religious guru Bhaiyyuji Maharaj. I was having personal relations with him. I am saddened by his sudden demise. My tributes," Gadkari tweeted.
Bhaiyyuji had lost his wife Madhvi, who belonged to Aurangabad in Maharashtra, in 2015. After publicly talking about taking sanyas, he had married a much younger disciple, Dr Ayushi Sharma, in April 2017, taking his followers by surprise.
He had said he was marrying for the second time because he had a young daughter. Now a teenager who studies in Pune, the daughter was reportedly unhappy with his decision to remarry and there was talk about dispute over his property.
Bhaiyyuji had courted another controversy when, in 2017, a Mumbai-based woman had accused him of “dumping” her. She had written a book on him after visiting him in Indore, but he had distanced himself from her.
Born Uday Singh Deshmukh, Maharaj had even done modelling for a well-known brand of clothes before turning spiritual. He was seen as a glamorous personality in the spiritual field.
He had good ties with political personalities from various parties and the RSS. He mediated when Anna Hazare was on fast in the national capital five years ago and persuaded him to end the protest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former President Pratibha Patil, late Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and singer Lata Mangeshkar were among the prominent personalities who had visited his ashram here.
