CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: While hearing a plea filed by M Chaitanya, one of the disciple of slain Hindu seer Swami Laxmananda Saraswati, Odisha High Court on Wednesday sought a report from Naveen Patnaik Government.
The Seer and four of his disciples were brutally murdered by some goons on August 23, 2008 in Kandhamal district.The Court has directed the State Government to submit its report by May 4.
Police filed a charge sheet against seven people in a local court in January 2009.Chaitanya filed the petition in the high court in the same year demanding an independent probe into the killing.
The Viswa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu outfits alleged hands of Church in the murder case. The murder of Seer had sparked violence in the State.
The 80-year-old monk who spearheaded the anti-conversion movement in Odisha’s tribal dominated areas for decades, was under scanner of Church.
Laxmananda Saraswati came to tribal-dominated Kandhamal in 1966. Since then he has been leading a campaign against conversion activities of Christian missionaries.
He had also been in the forefront of the campaign against cow-slaughter. It was because of his sustained efforts that thousands of tribals who had embraced Christianity returned to the Hindu fold.
Later, he set up an ashram at Chakpada and a Kanya Ashram (girls residential school) at Jalespata in Kandhmal district. He spent his life promoting literacy and combating conversions in this tribal-dominated district. For this, he earned the wrath of Christian missionaries and was attacked on several occasions.
The culprit should be punished very soon
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