Mathura, March 21 A man, popularly known as 'Farsa wale Baba', died under suspicious circumstances on a highway near the Haryana border here early Saturday, officials said.
The incident triggered protests and a traffic blockade on the day when President Droupadi Murmu was visiting the district.
Angry locals blocked the national highway, leading to traffic jams stretching several kilometers.
According to videos circulating on social media, protesters allegedly vandalized police and administrative vehicles when authorities attempted to clear the road.
The police later resorted to mild force to disperse the crowd.
Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said that some anti-social elements tried to disrupt the situation, prompting police action.
Four to five people have been detained for questioning, he said, adding that the situation was under control with traffic restored. Heavy police deployment has been made in the area, he added.
Supporters alleged that 'Baba Chandrashekhar' was run over by cattle smugglers when he was trying to stop a truck carrying cattle near the Kotvan border area. Authorities rejected the claim as misleading.
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said the incident occurred around 4 am when the Baba, along with his followers, stopped a Nagaland-registered container on suspicion of carrying cattle near the Kosi Kalan area. The vehicle was found to be carrying grocery items such as soap, phenyl and shampoo.
He said that due to dense fog, a Rajasthan-registered truck carrying wire rammed into them from behind, leading to the Baba's death on the spot. The truck driver was injured, and the vehicle was damaged.
The police said the body was taken by followers to the Baba's gaushala in Ajanokh village for the last rites. A post-mortem will be conducted if the family or followers request it in writing.
Earlier in the day, Murmu prayed at the Danghati Temple in Govardhan, where she participated in the aarti of Giriraj Ji Maharaj and performed Govardhan Parikrama as part of her three-day Uttar Pradesh visit.