Mahakumbh's viral IIT Baba says ‘saffron-clad people’ beat him at debate programme in Noida

IIT Baba alias Abhay Singh, who went viral during the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, alleged that he was assaulted by “saffron-clad people” during a news debate programme of a private channel in Noida on Friday.

According to the viral baba's police complaint, as reported by news agency PTI, some saffron-clad people came into the newsroom and allegedly misbehaved with him and beat him with sticks.

To protest the alleged attack, the IIT Baba sat outside the police outpost in Sector 126, Noida. However, he later withdrew the protest when police convinced him.

Sector 126 station house officer (SHO) Bhupendra Singh told PTI that Abhay Singh was convinced and chose not to pursue a formal complaint.

What happened at the news debate?

Several videos of the incident are making rounds on social media. In the viral videos, IIT Baba can be seen engaging in a discussion at the news channel when a group of people dressed like sadhus enters the studio.

The group, which the news anchor referred to as Sadhus, began moving towards the IIT Baba and broke out into an argument. The news anchor can be heard saying, “Agar aap dhongi hain to bhaag jaeye (Run away if you are an imposter).”

As tensions escalate, IIT Baba attempts to leave the studio and can be seen sitting on the floor in the green room. The exact cause of the altercation is unclear.

LiveMint couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the viral videos.

Who is IIT Baba?

Abhey Singh, or IIT Baba, is reportedly an IIT Bombay graduate with a degree in aerospace engineering. He allegedly left a high-paying job in Canada and chose the path of Sanyasa (renunciation). This unusual journey made him viral on social media.

Abhey, who is in his early thirties, gained popularity on social media after leaving an illustrious career and choosing Sanyasa.

He was evicted from the Juna Akhara due to his alleged offensive behaviour. Following this, he was found in the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Recently, he had made a ‘bold’ prediction that India would lose the match against Pakistan on Sunday. His predictions, however, did not ring true and made him the centre of online trolls.