Baba Hardev Singh, spiritual head of the Sant Nirankari Mission, died in a road accident in Canada's Montreal on Friday. He was 62.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other political leaders expressed their condolences over the death of Baba Hardev."It was around five in the morning when his car met with an accident and he died," an official of the organisation told IANS here."With profound pain and sorrow, this is to inform you that His Holiness Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj has merged into this Almighty God," said an official statement issued by the mission.His mortal remains are expected to be brought here by Sunday night, a mission official told IANS.
"There are number of formalities to fulfilled before the authorities in Canada allow us to take the body of Baba Hardev Singh to India", he said."We just had a meeting of the executive committee (of the mission) which discussed all matters related to the incident," he said, adding that a huge task of making arrangements for lakhs of Baba followers was also discussed.The mission, however, has already has urged the followers across the world not to gather in New Delhi to avoid inconvenience.Modi said Baba Hardev Singh's demise was tragic and a great loss to the spiritual world.
"My thoughts are with his countless followers in this sad time," he said in a tweet. Gandhi expressed shock and grief over Baba's death and offered condolences to all his followers."Spiritual values of equality and simplicity perpetuated by him and the Nirankari Samaj will forever remain relevant," she said. Rajnath Singh said he was deeply pained to learn of the demise."He was a not only a spiritual leader but also a social reformer," he said in a tweet. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh and BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also condoled the death of the spiritual leader.