Mangaluru: Jains take out silent protest march against murder of monk

Members of the Jain community condemning the murder of Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj of Nandi parvat mutt at Hirekodi village in Chikkodi taluk, took out a silent protest from Clock Tower to DC’s office on Monday.

The protesters demanded a high-level probe and suitable protection for Jain monks. Moodbidri Digambara Jain mutt seer Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Pattacharyavarya Maha Swamiji, members of Jain Milan and others participated in the procession. The seer urged the government to initiate stringent action against those who were responsible for the murder of the monk.

The government should provide protection to monks who are on a pilgrimage to different holy places, by walking. The government should issue a circular through the minority department to install high quality CC cameras at the places of worship. The government should earmark funds for installing CCTV and protect the places of worship. He lauded the Belagavi police for cracking the case and arresting the assailants.

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Jain Milan Mangaluru division members said such heinous crime had not taken place in the past 200 years. Jains believe in non violence and are having cordial relations with all communities. Members of VHP and Bajrang Dal took part in the protest. Jain community members in Belthangady also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through Belthangady Tahsildar Suresh Kumar.

KPCC General Secretary Rakshith Shivaram said police had already arrested the suspects. Such atrocities on seers and monks is alarming, he added.