Row over boy’s alleged Kalki Avatar: Baikuntha Dham Ashram to be demolished tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: The controversial Baikuntha Dham Ashram near Khandagiri area in Bhubaneswar will be demolished tomorrow, informed the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) today.

According to sources, officials of the BDA along with a team of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will demolish the Baikuntha Dham Ashram at 8 AM amid tight security in the presence of the Commissionerate Police.

Meanwhile, the officials made announcement regarding the demolition of the ashram through loudspeaker. They urged the inmates of the ashram to vacate the buildings and not to hamper during the demolition driver.

The decision to bulldoze the ashram was taken after the General Administration (GA) Department of Odisha government found that it has been constructed illegally on government land. The Ashram is located on plot numbers 9037 and 9038 in Ghatikia over an area of 0.140 acre.

It is to be note there that the officials of the GA Department verified the legality of the ashram based on the allegation of encroachment of government land.

The Baikuntha Dham Ashram came to the limelight following a controversy over the ‘Kalki Avatar of a boy. Kashinath Mishra, the father of an 18-year-old youth allegedly projected him as the reincarnation of Kalki avatar or Lord Vishnu. Besides, a photo where the youth was seen sitting in a chair with sacred tulsi on his feet went viral on different social media platforms sparking massive protest from people.

Taking a serious note of the incident, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) lodged a suo moto complaint against Kashinath Mishra and directed the Bharatpur Police to submit its report within 15 days.