Self-styled transgender 'Aghori', Kali Nand Giri arrested after video shows her allegedly consuming 'human remains'

A 27-year-old transgender self-styled ‘Aghori’ Kali Nand Giri was arrested on Tuesday after she was allegedly seen tampering with human remains at a crematorium.

Aghoris are Hindu ascetics belonging to a radical Shaivaite monastic order. They seek spiritual liberation by embracing taboos and ritual impurity, and perform and practise post-mortem rituals and unconventional diets.

Nand Giri triggered public outrage after she posted a video showing herself consuming what she purported to be human remains from a burning funeral pyre in a crematorium in Ujjain.

The video shared on Instagram by the 27-year-old shows her arriving at the Chakratirth cremation ground in Ujjain carrying a sword. She then proceeds to chant some mantra before stabbing the sword into the burning pyre, removing a substance and eating it.

She described the material as “hot and tasty”

Hindu religious leaders condemned the practice and lodged a complaint. They said that the actions of the Aghori tainted the Hindu religion.

According to local city superintendent of police Puspa Prajapati said “A viral video showed the transgender tampering with the human remains in a crematorium in Ujjain. Based on a complaint, an FIR was registered under BNS Section 301 (trespassing on burial places and offering indignity to human remains) against the transgender.”

Giri was arrested, produced in court and then remanded to judicial custody.

A four-wheeler was also seized from the accused. The vehicle reportedly contained a large number of human skulls.

Giri is part of the Kinnar Akhara, which was established by members of the trans community in 2015.

A year ago Giri was given the titiel Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhara around a year ago by the All India Akhara Council. The title, however, was withdrawn after she landed herself in several controversies.

She was stripped of the title over allegations that she broke the guru-disciple traditions.

Giri, however, continued to claim the title.

The 27-year-old hails from Mancherial in Telangana. She left home at a young age to pursue asceticism and claims to the the country’s first transgender Aghori. She has also reportedly travelled across the country and claims to speak 18 languages.