Karnataka’s Home Minister, G Parameshwara, firmly stated in Belagavi that he would not transfer the investigation of the murder of a Jain monk at Hirekodi, Belagavi district.
He praised the state police for their efficient handling of the case and the subsequent arrests made. The victim, Acharya Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj from Nand Parvat Ashram in Hirekodi village, Chikkodi taluk, was allegedly killed and his body was disposed of in a borewell pit in Khatakbhavi village.
Parameshwara assured the public that there would be no political or discriminatory interference in such cases. He commended the police for their prompt response upon learning of the incident and filing the complaint. The culprits were swiftly apprehended, and the police successfully recovered the victim’s body parts from the borewell pit. Parameshwara expressed his appreciation for the police’s swift action during a press conference.
The Home Minister also mentioned that he had met with Jain seer Varuru Gunadhara Nandi Maharaj, who had initiated a sit-in protest in Hubballi following the incident. Parameshwara stated that he had come to listen to the seer’s demands and provide reassurances that appropriate actions would be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
When asked about the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident, Parameshwara defended the efficiency of the police department, emphasizing that the inquiry was already underway. He believed that there was no immediate need to transfer the investigation to the CBI or any other agency. Once the police inquiry is completed, the truth will be revealed, according to the Minister.
Members of the Jain community have called for a CBI investigation