Author: Debabrata Mohanty
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: June 3, 2009
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Seer-hacked-to-death-in-Puri/470208
[Note from the Hindu Vivek Kendra: If one
were to accept the extortion theory, then the police should tell how many
others have been hacked to death because of their refusal to give money. And
if they could come so quickly to the extortion theory, then they knew about
the extortionists earlier. So why did they not take any action? When a Hindu
seer gets killed, the police find secular theories, always. When a non-Hindu
priest gets killed, it immediately becomes a communal event, always.]
A religious leader who participated actively
in the protest against the killing of Laxmanananda Saraswati last year was
chased and hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Puri on Tuesday.
The police, however, ruled out any communal
angle. "We suspect that he was killed over extortion money," said
Puri Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajkishore Paikray.
The police said Ramcharan Das, famous as Mauni
Baba, was feeding fishes at a pond early in the morning when the assailants
chased him with sharp weapons. Paikray said at least 10 injury marks were
found on his body.
The police said some local goons had been
extorting money from the 60-year-old leader who used to live with his wife
Pratima at his Gurukripa Ashram in Puri town. His wife told the police that
the criminals had threatened him a few days ago with dire consequences if
he did not pay up Rs 15,000.
The police have detained one person, identified
as Panchanan Sahoo, on suspicion.
A popular figure in Puri, Das was an active
member of the Matha Mahanta organisation of Orissa. In the aftermath of Saraswati's
killing last year, he took the lead in the protest against the VHP leader's
murder.
