Baliga Murder: GSB Community Presents Memorandum to Police Commissioner

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru May 9, 2016: A delegation comprising devotees of Sri Kashi Math Samsthan submitted a memorandum to Police Commissioner M. Chandrashekar to take severe action on a purported false news report about detaining of Samyamindra Thirtha Swamijis secretary.

It may be recalled that a person called Vishwnath Bhat, said be a close associate of prime suspect Naresh Shenoy, had been summoned for questioning by the police regarding murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga. Subsequently the media reports had highlighted this enquiry, indirectly implying that the swamiji’s inner circle was under the police scanner. This had upset GSB community members who hold the swami in high esteem. 

Eminent leaders of the community including Narayan Shenoy, Pandit Narasimha Acharya, T. Ganapathy Pai, Sathish Bhat, Namdev Mallya, Maroor Padmanabha Pai and others met the commissioner of police. They briefed him regarding the news reports which had appeared in various news papers. They said that these news reports had created a wrong impression about the Swamiji and Shree Kashi Math Samsthan and caused severe mental agony to his followers.

The memorandum said that the allegations made in the news report are baseless and false. They amount to insult to entire GSB community, it stated and appealed to the police to intervene in the matter. 

Later addressing media persons, Police Commissioner M. Chandrashekar said that there has been incorrect reporting on the detaining of Samyamindra Thirtha Swamiji’s secretary which has hurt the feelings of GSB community. He appealed to the media to verify news reports before publishing them, especially if the report relates to police investigation.

Addressing media persons outside the commissioner’s office Narayana Shenoy of Sri Kashi Math, Bangalore said neither Sri Kashi Math nor Samyamindra Thirtha Swami are in any way related to the RTI activist’s murder. “These are holy institutions and we urge the media to be sensitive while reporting on them. We have no objections to police continuing their investigations on legitimate track and we shall extend all cooperation. But we appeal to media to ensure that the reports are truthful and do not mislead the public,” he said.

When asked if any specific parties were behind news leaks which were published on May 7th and 8th, he declined to answer and said it was up to the police to investigate and find out.   

Pandit Narasimha Acharya said that GSBs are a respectable and united community in society but the false publication in media on detaining Samyamindra Thirtha Swamiji’s secretary has hurt the community people for which strict action need to taken.

Speaking to a media query about GSB community failing to stand up against the murder, he said that several people are raising their voice against his murder.  Vinayak Baliga’s death has saddened the GSB community, he said.

Sri Kashi Math has been engaged in a factional feud since many years with a small breakaway faction led by Sri Raghavendra Thirtha attempting to establish itself in GSB community life.

The murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga seems to given the ground for proxy war between the followers of the feuding factions.