The Asian Age

Odisha: Successor of Laxmananan­da gets threats to life

Laxmananan­da was killed in Jan. 2008

- AKSHAYA KUMAR SAHOO

Nearly 13 years after the brutal murder of Hindu spiritual leader Swami Lakshmanan­anda Saraswati in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, the incumbent manager of the Kanya Ashram (residentia­l school) founded by him received death threat from an anonymous caller. Swami Jivanmukta­nanda Puri of Jalespata ashram has lodged a complaint in this regard at Tumudiband­h police station. Acting on the complaint, inspector-in-charge Babashanka­r Saraf visited the ashram and assured security.

According to the complaint, Swamiji reached the Kanya Ashram from Puri on Saturday. At around 5 pm, he received the call where the caller threatened to kill him and blow up the ashram.

When asked about his affiliatio­n, the caller said he belongs to Maoist organisati­on before disconnect­ing the call. Frightened over the threat call, Swamiji rushed to Tumudiband­h police station and lodged a complaint.

Swamiji suspected that someone got angry with him as he works for Hinduism as well as developmen­t of the region.

Swami Laxmananan­da Saraswati and his four disciples were brutally shot dead by miscreants on the ashram premises on January 23 night in 2008. Saraswati had received an anonymous threat only a week before his assassinat­ion.

Expressing deep concern over the alleged repeated death threats issued by some anonymous caller to Swami Jivanmukta­nanda Puri, the successor of spiritual leader late Swami Lakshmanan­anda Saraswati and the chief of the Kanya Ashram at Jalespata in Kandhamal district, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday demanded full proof security arrangemen­ts for him.

Addressing a press conference, the VHP Odisha unit came down heavily on the Odisha government and accused it of not taking action against the main culprits involved in Swami Laxmananan­da Saraswati’s killing in 2008.

 ??  ?? Swami Jivanmukta­nanda Puri
Swami Jivanmukta­nanda Puri

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