Muzaffarpur: A Digambar Jain monk in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, was allegedly threatened with death by two young men who demanded he abandon his centuries-old tradition of not wearing clothes. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning near Gopinathpur Dokra under Saraiya police station, where Upasparjayi Shramana Shri Vishalya Sagar Ji Muniraj was assaulted while on his pilgrimage. The attackers allegedly warned him, “Wear clothes, or we will shoot you,” before speeding away on a motorcycle.
Police said the monk had travelled to Vaishali to attend a Golden Kalash and Golden Flag installation ceremony and had been staying at the Lord Mahavira birthplace complex in Basokund. On Monday, he spent the night at Kanti Tola School in Dokra. According to his followers, the threat came early on Tuesday as he continued his journey towards Madwan. The shocking confrontation left his companions shaken and sparked immediate concern among locals.
Deeply disturbed by the incident, the monk sat down in silent protest beside National Highway 722. Locals informed police, and a team from Saraiya station reached the spot. Station House Officer Subhash Mukhiya said efforts are underway to trace the suspects, though no formal complaint has been filed. He added that police had not been informed about the monk’s route beforehand but later provided him with security and escorted him to Akhtiyarpur Madwan.
Anger has risen within the Jain community, which has demanded better protection for monks who travel without material possessions as part of their spiritual path. Digambara monks do not wear clothes as a symbol of complete renunciation, rejecting material attachments. This tradition dates back to an ancient 12-year famine that led to the formation of two major sects—Digambara and Svetambara—within Jainism.
