Jain monk's murder: VHP slams Karnataka govt; demands 'capital punishment'

VHP blamed the "anti-Hindu" policies of the Congress government in Karnataka for the murder of a Jain monk, demanding capital punishment for the accused.

Published on: Jul 10, 2023, 09:22:53 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Aniruddha Dhar

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The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has hit out at the Congress government in Karnataka over the gruesome murder of Jain monk Acharya Sri Kamakumara Nandi Maharaj in Belagavi and blamed its “anti-Hindu" policies for the crime.

Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Secretary General, Milind Parande. (ANI photo)

The Digambar Jain monk was reportedly murdered due to a money-related dispute, and two accused have been arrested in the matter -- one of them was a devotee of the victim. The murder was uncovered on Saturday, two days after the monk was reported missing by the manager of the ashram where he used to stay. Police recovered the monk's chopped body parts, which were dumped in a defunct borewell by the accused.

READ | 12 more detained after monk found murdered in Karnataka

The VHP on Sunday demanded that those involved in the killing be given capital punishment. VHP general secretary Milind Parande, in a statement, termed the accused as “jihadis”, stating that sadhus and seers are not safe in the state today, whereas “Islamic jihadis and extremists" are “enjoying the liberty of roaming free".

According to the police, the two persons arrested in the case have been identified as Narayana Basappa Madi and Hassan Dalayath, who committed the crime as they were unable to repay a loan of ₹6 lakh, lent by the Jain muni.

“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,” Parande said.

READ | Belagavi: Missing monk’s body recovered, two arrested

“Ever since the ministers of the new government in the state have been talking about removing the anti-cow slaughter law and the anti-conversion law, the audacity of the 'dharma-drohi' (anti-religion) and anti-national forces has increased. Due to the anti-Hindu policies of the government, neither the sadhus nor the Bharatiya society is safe in the state today. If anyone is enjoying the liberty of roaming free in the state, they are Islamic Jihadis and extremists,” he added.

Leaders from the opposition BJP also demanded a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter.

(With PTI inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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