PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 29 -- After a 10-day face-off with the Magh Mela administration, Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati left the annual religious fair in Prayagraj on Wednesday. The move comes 18 days before the conclusion of the Magh Mela.

The standoff followed an incident on Mauni Amavasya on January 18, when the seer's palanquin was allegedly stopped from proceeding to the Sangam for the holy dip as officials cited restrictions in a no-vehicle zone. Since then, he had been staging a sit-in protest outside his camp in the Magh Mela area. There was an exchange of notices and replies by both sides during this period.

The latest development comes even as in the last two days, the authorities maintained silence ...