A section of the sadhus boycotted the ‘holy dip’ over an issue of timing and turn following which sadhus from the Agni Akhada and Ahwan Akhada suspended their procession.

In a bid to avoid any untoward incident the police was forced to cordon off the sadhus associated with these two akhadas.

Elsewhere, the sadhus alleged that the police had resorted to a lathi-charge on the devotees gathered at the mela site at Bhavnath taleti on the foot of Girnar Mountains.

Following the controversy, the heads of Agni akhada and Ahwan akhada convened a meeting in Bhavnath on Tuesday evening and registered their protest over the issue.

The sadhus have now decided to submit a memorandum in this regard to the district collector.

Mahant Gopalanand, the head of Agni Akhada and president of the All India Sadhu Samaj (Gujarat Chapter) said: “The police kept us waiting till 12.30 am on Monday night and later we were not allowed to take the holy dip in Mrigi Kund. This is injustice,” he said.

According to Gopalanand, it was earlier decided with the officials that sadhus associated with the Juna Akhada will take the holy dip first and complete the process within the specified time frame before mid-night.

However, the devotees from Juna Akhada unnecessarily delayed the process till 12.30 am, by when the prime time of the holy dip was over, he said.

Gopalanand added: “Officials stopped us from proceeding towards the Mrigi Kund. Later we decided to suspend our procession and boycotted the event.”

Junagadh-based Mahant Tansukhgiri of Bhidbhanjan Temple said: “What happened here at Bhavnath on Shivratri night was quite shocking and disappointing. Controversy sparked off during the Kumbh Mela here, which should have been avoided. The controversy is connected to the Kumbh Mela, which has nothing to do with the Shivratri Mela.”

He added that sadhus taking part in festivities in Junagadh should not indulge in any controversy and should maintain the religious sanctity of the celebrations.

“Such incidents defame the entire Sadhu Samaj. Besides, Monday night’s episode was nothing but the mistake of the government machinery,” he said.

A police officer said on condition of anonymity: “The issue should be solved by the sadhus only. If they fail to do so, we have to maintain the law and order situation.” He dismissed allegations levelled by certain section of the sadhus.

The Shivratri festival was celebrated on Monday night in a traditional manner.

More than six lakh devotees visited the mela site and witnessed the procession of digambar (unclothed) sadhus at the foot of the Girnar Mountains.