Girvar Singh Tomar lost his CRPF job in 1999, became a sadhu and fought for 27 years. In 2026, he finally returned to the force in Bijapur

New Delhi/Bhopal: Some journeys are difficult to believe even when they are true. Girvar Singh Tomar’s story is one of them.

A former CRPF havildar from Chhichhawali village in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district, Tomar lost his job in 1999 after a departmental dispute with a senior officer. He challenged the dismissal in court and continued his legal battle for more than two decades.

During those years, his life took an unexpected turn. After returning to Morena, he began living in temples and eventually became known as Girvar Das Maharaj. He spent years praying, serving devotees and living the life of a sadhu.

But he never gave up on his old identity as a CRPF man.

In August 2026, after nearly 27 years of legal struggle, Tomar finally returned to the force. At 54, he once again wore the khaki uniform, this time after being posted to the CRPF’s 85th Battalion in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh.

Girvar Singh Tomar Joined the CRPF in 1991

Tomar’s journey with the Central Reserve Police Force began in 1991. He joined as a havildar and served for around eight years.

His service came to an abrupt end in 1999 after a dispute involving a senior officer. According to reports, the incident began over an allegation that Tomar’s bicycle had hit the officer’s vehicle. Tomar denied the allegation and maintained that his bicycle had not touched the vehicle.

The disagreement eventually led to a departmental inquiry.

On October 21, 1999, Tomar was dismissed from service. Court-related reports say he had been charge-sheeted earlier that year and that his departmental appeal and subsequent revision were rejected.

For a man who had spent years building a career in uniform, the dismissal changed the course of his life.

From CRPF Barracks to a Temple in Morena

After losing his job, Tomar returned to his village in Morena.

The sudden change from a disciplined life in the security force to civilian life was difficult. Over time, he turned towards spirituality and began living at the Barahdwari temple near his village.

He later moved to Morena’s Gufa Mandir, where his life took another major turn. He began living as a sadhu and became known as Baba Girvar Das or Girvar Das Maharaj.

Reports say he became associated with the Nirmohi Akhara around 2001. For years, his daily routine centred on prayer, meditation and temple service.

His appearance also changed completely. His hair grew long, his beard turned white and he began wearing the mustard-coloured robes associated with his spiritual life.

To people around him, he was no longer simply Girvar Singh Tomar. He had become Baba Girvar Das.

But behind the saffron robes, the former CRPF man was still fighting for his job.

He Never Abandoned His Legal Battle

Becoming a sadhu did not mean that Tomar gave up on his claim. He approached the court in 1999, challenging his dismissal. A major breakthrough came in 2007, when the Allahabad High Court ruled in his favour.

The court found that even if the allegations were accepted, the punishment of dismissal was too harsh in relation to the alleged misconduct.

However, the legal victory did not immediately bring his uniform back. The Union government and CRPF challenged the decision and obtained a stay. The case therefore continued for years.

Tomar remained caught between two worlds. He served at temples and followed a spiritual routine, but whenever necessary, he continued to pursue his case through the legal system. That unusual combination became a defining feature of his life.

A Life Split Between Spirituality and the Courts

For more than two decades, Tomar lived as a religious figure while continuing to seek justice.

Reports say he continued to visit his family and maintained contact with his loved ones despite spending much of his time at religious sites. His spiritual life gave him a sense of purpose while the court case kept alive his hope of returning to the force.

The case moved slowly, with years passing between important developments. For Tomar, however, the passage of time did not end the fight.

His hair became grey. His beard grew long. The uniform that had once been part of his everyday life became a distant memory.

But he continued to believe that he would eventually get it back.

The 2025 Court Order Changed Everything

The biggest breakthrough came in August 2025. After years of litigation, a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court ruled in Tomar’s favour and directed that he be taken back into service. Recent reports say the court directed the authorities to reinstate him within three months. Even then, the story did not end immediately.

The reinstatement took additional time, with reports saying that authorities faced difficulties locating records related to a case that was more than two decades old. Tomar continued pressing for implementation of the court’s order and reportedly sent legal notices to the authorities.

After another year of waiting, the order was finally implemented.

August 26, 2026: The Day the Saffron Robes Came Off

The long-awaited moment arrived in August 2026. According to reports, Tomar travelled from Morena to Bijapur in Chhattisgarh after receiving his reinstatement order. He boarded a train on the night of August 25 and reached Bijapur the following morning.

But before reporting for duty, he stopped at a barber’s shop. The long hair and white beard that had become part of his identity as Baba Girvar Das were cut off. The transformation was striking.

The man who had spent years in mustard-coloured robes was once again dressed in the khaki uniform of the CRPF. By the afternoon, he had formally joined duty.

From Havildar to Constable: A New Beginning

Tomar’s return to the CRPF did not simply restore his old position. Reports identify him as returning to service as a constable, with his new posting at the 85th Battalion in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. He is also expected to complete the required training and courses as he resumes his career after the long break.

This means his return is not a simple continuation of the career he had in 1999. He is coming back to an organisation that has changed significantly during his absence. Many of the people who served alongside him have retired or moved on.

Tomar reportedly said that only one or two people from his earlier batch remain in the force. Yet the welcome from his new colleagues made him feel at home again.

“It Feels Like I Have Returned Home”

After rejoining the force, Tomar expressed gratitude rather than anger.

He attributed his return to his faith and described the moment as coming home. His years as a sadhu had clearly changed his outlook on life.

For him, the return to uniform was not only about a government job. It represented the end of a struggle that had lasted almost half his life.

From his first day in the CRPF in 1991 to his dismissal in 1999 and eventual reinstatement in 2026, nearly 35 years had passed. His Spiritual Life Did Not Erase His Identity as a Soldier What makes Tomar’s story particularly unusual is that he did not simply spend 27 years waiting for a court decision.

He built a completely different life during that period. As Baba Girvar Das, he spent years serving at temples and following a spiritual path. At the same time, he continued to fight through the courts to reclaim his place in the CRPF.

His spiritual identity and his former professional identity existed side by side. Now that he has returned to the force, his years as a sadhu remain an important part of his life story.

Why Girvar Singh Tomar’s Story Matters

Tomar’s journey is more than an unusual story about a man changing from a soldier to a sadhu and then returning to uniform.

It also highlights the human cost of a long-running legal dispute.

A departmental action in 1999 changed his career. The legal process then continued for years. Even after a favourable court ruling, he had to wait for the decision to be implemented.

His experience shows how long legal and administrative processes can affect an individual’s life.

At the same time, his story demonstrates an extraordinary level of persistence.

He did not abandon his spiritual life, but he also did not abandon his legal claim.

A Journey That Came Full Circle

Girvar Singh Tomar’s story began with a CRPF uniform and, after nearly three decades, returned to the same uniform.

In between came temple life, meditation, long hair, a white beard, saffron robes and the identity of Baba Girvar Das Maharaj.

But underneath it all remained a man who continued to believe that his dismissal should be challenged.

In August 2026, that belief finally translated into action. He reached Bijapur, cut his hair and beard, put away his religious robes and wore the CRPF uniform again.

At 54, his return may not erase the years he lost. But it has given him something he spent decades fighting for: the chance to serve again. His journey from CRPF havildar to sadhu and back to a CRPF serviceman is an extraordinary story of patience, faith and persistence. After 27 years of waiting, Girvar Singh Tomar finally got to wear the uniform again.