BJP stages massive protest over Jain monk murder in Karnataka, calls for CBI probe

The BJP on Wednesday held a massive protest outside the Karnataka Assembly over the murder of the Jain monk Kamakumara Nandi Maharaj in the city, with party leaders marching towards the Raj Bhawan to submit a petition seeking a CBI inquiry into the murder.

Addressing a crowd of BJP workers and supporters, party leader Basavaraj Bommai said, "Nobody is safe in Karnataka, whether it is a techie or a common man. There is a tremendous law and order problem in Karnataka. We are not happy with the investigation being conducted into the murder of the Jain monk. The Karnataka government is a thick-skinned government. They are doing politics over this issue and don't want a CBI inquiry."

 A furore broke out in the Karnataka Assembly session on Tuesday over the gruesome murder of the monk, with the BJP demanding a CBI inquiry into it during the zero hour.

The Jain monk went missing on Thursday, July 6. His dismembered body was found two days later by the police in a borewell. On of his followers confirmed to the police that the monk was murdered over a financial dispute. The police arrested two accused, Narayan Mali and Hassan Dalayath, on July 8, and produced them before court, which granted them a 7-day custody for further interrogation.

The FIR registered by the police against the accused states that the killers first tried to electrocute the Jain monk, but later, finding him alive, strangled him with a towel. They then travelled around 35 kms on a bike with the monk's body and disposed it off in an open borewell and burnt his blood-soaked clothes.

A fact-finding committee instituted by the BJP along with several MLAs, mainly from Belagavi region, however, has pointed out discrepancies in the police investigation. They have demanded a CBI probe into the murder.