The 17ht death anniversary of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was observed peacefully in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on August 15, with heightened security measures in place in the region.
While the security was especially tight around Saraswati’s ashrams in Kandhamal district’s Chakapada and Jalespeta, the entire district was under a security blanket. This was because VHP leader’s assassination on August 23, 2008, had triggered widespread violence that resulted in 38 deaths.
According to Swami Jeevan Muktananda Puri, the head of the Jalespeta ashram, Saraswati’s death anniversary is observed based on the Hindu calendar. The VHP leader and four of his associates were shot and killed while they were celebrating Janmashtami at the Jalespeta ashram under Tumudibandh police station in the district.
Kandhamal’s Superintendent of Police Harish BC informed that security was increased throughout the district to prevent any potential violence, as previous commemorations had led to unrest.
Armed police were stationed at the two ashrams and other sensitive locations, SP said adding that no report of any untoward incidents were reported from any place so far.
Although Maoists were initially blamed for the killings, the VHP continues to demand the arrest of the “mastermind” behind the murders.
Kandhamal MP Sukant Panigrahi stated that the state government is dedicated to bringing all those responsible to justice.
Meanwhile, opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress have criticized the state’s current BJP government for not releasing the report of the commission that investigated the killing of the VHP leader.
After coming into power in the state last year, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had promised to make the commission’s inquiry report on the killing of Saraswati public.
Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra was appointed to lead the one-man commission in 2008 to probe Saraswati’s killing and the subsequent riots in 2008. But he passed away in 2012 before completing the inquiry.
Justice A. S. Naidu was then appointed to head the panel, which submitted its two-volume report to the home secretary in December 2015. However, the findings of the commission have never been made public by either the former BJD government or the current BJP administration.
