Teen missing from Premanand Maharaj's ashram found in monk attire in Prayagraj; another traced to Barsana

Two teens who went missing from the Keli Kunj ashram of Premanand Govind Sharan in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, were found to be safe. One of the two boys was located in Prayagraj, donning the attire of a monk.

Mayank Chauhan of Kasganj was recovered from Daraganj area of ​​Prayagraj, while Anuj Chaudhary of Sadabad was traced to Barsana.

Family members of both teenagers had staged a sit-in outside the Radha Keli Kunj Ashram after they went missing. However, the protest was called off following assurance by the police. While Mayank's family has left for Prayagraj to pick him up, Anuj will first be presented before a court on Monday by the Sadabad police, Live Hindustan reported.

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White monk attire, mud coating on forehead: How missing teen was found

Mayank's father, Chandrapal Singh, told Live Hindustan over the phone that his son was found in Prayagraj wearing a white monk attire, and had a mud coating on his forehead. He was also wearing a necklace bearing the name Radha.

Chandrapal said he had received a phone call from the police at around 1:30 am on Monday, informing him that his son was in their custody. He then spoke to Mayank over a video call to confirm this.

17-year-old Anuj Chaudhary found in Barsana, had taken ‘diksha’ from Premanand Maharaj

Meanwhile, Anuj Chaudhary, 17, was recovered by the Hathras Police with the help of Mathura Police from Ladli Das Ashram in Barsana. The teen, a resident of Hathras district, had been missing since July 3.

Chaudhary had reportedly taken ‘diksha (initiation)’ from the spiritual leaders, known as Premanand Ji Maharaj, on June 26 and returned home the same day, his father told reporters, news agency PTI reported. However, Chaudhary again went to the ashram on July 3 to seek the spiritual leader's blessings, carrying three books and prayer beads. He went missing thereafter.

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His family members and villagers staged a protest outside the ashram. “The parents came to Vrindavan, claiming that Anuj was inside the Ashram, and that the management was not briefing them properly,” Vrindavan circle officer Sandeep Kumar Singh told PTI. He added that Chaudhary's family had filed an FIR in the matter on July 5 at the Sadabad police station in Hathras, claiming their son had left for his coaching class but had not returned.

When the police spoke to the ashram management, they said that Anuj did receive an initiation from Premanand Maharaj but was not staying at the ashram, the officer said.