On July 10, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said there is no need for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the murder case of Jain monk Acharya Sri Kamakumara Nandi Maharaja of Chikkodi even as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said that the Congress Government in the State was indulging in “appeasement politics.”
Police recovered body parts of the Digambar seer from a defunct borewell in a field in Chikkodi in Belagavi district on July 8. The monk was reported missing by the manager of the ashram where he used to stay and two persons have been arrested in this connection.
“Our police department is competent, the accused have been arrested and the investigation has started,” Said Minister Parameshwara.
“No need to hand it to the CBI or anything. The truth will come out after our department’s investigation is over. It is not right to make accusations. Legal action will be taken. The police are working impartially without any pressure,” the minister added.
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi has termed the murder as “highly condemnable.”
“The murder of Sri Kamakumara Nandi Maharaja is highly condemnable. The name of the accused was not even revealed initially. Attempts were made to force local people to give statements that he (the deceased monk) was involved in some financial transactions,” Joshi said in Hampi today.
“Attempts were made to give it an angle that his financial habits led to his murder. People suspect that the murderers are being protected. I think this is the height of appeasement politics. Karnataka Government became active only after pressure. This is wrong…The murderers should be given the strictest punishment,” the Union Minister added.
The Union Minister had on July 9 met with Gunadhar Nandhi Maharaj Jain Muni at Navgrah Tirth and condoled the death of the Chikkodi Jain seer.
Following the murder, Gunadhar Nandhi Maharaj said that he will undertake a fast unto death demanding security for Jain Munis. The last rites of the Jain seer were performed as per Jain traditions on Sunday at Hirekodi village.
Meanwhile, State home minister Parmeshwara met with Gunadhar Nandhi Maharaj at Navgrah Tirth prior to his Chikkodi visit.
Speaking on allegations of “appeasement politics,” the minister said, “When such an incident happens, no one is going to discriminate. The police took prompt action to arrest the criminals and started legal action,” he said.
Further the Minister said that legal action is a natural process. “There was no question of discrimination in it”.
Following the murder, police had immediately registered a complaint, he added.
“Action has been taken to remove the body as it was placed in the borewell. I congratulate our department, they did it quickly,” the minister said.
The Karanataka home minister said he had on July 9 spoken to the Jain seers who were fasting to protest the murder.
Reportedly, the Jain Muni, went missing on July 5 from his ashram in a village in Belagavi’s Chikodi taluk, and was allegedly murdered, as per the police report on July 8. Two people have been arrested in connection with the case.
Acharya Sri Kamakumara Nandi Maharaj was staying at Nandi Parvata Jain Basadi for the past 15 years, they said. The Jain Muni’s devotees lodged a missing complaint with the police on July 6.
He was allegedly killed by unidentified suspects for demanding the return of money lent to them. It is learnt that he was abducted from the Ashram where he lived and was murdered.
Strongly condemning the inhuman incident, the Central Secretary General of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Milind Parande said that the abduction of Venerable Jain Acharya, who taught the lesson of non-violence to the world, and then the chopping of his holy body by Jihadis seems somehow to be the result of the anti-Hindu policies of the Congress-led Government in the state. The Jain monk had been serving the local society by staying at Anand Parvat for the last 15 years.
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