Missing Jain monk murdered for seeking return of money; body found in tubewell

CHIKKODI: Jain monk Acharya Sri 108 Kamakumara Nandi Maharaj of Nandi Parvata Ashram, who went missing from the Jain basadi at Hirekudi village on Wednesday morning, has been brutally murdered. The police have taken two accused into custody in this regard.

The monk had been living at the Nandi Parvata Ashram for the past 15 years and had gone missing from the ashram since July 5. The next day, the devotees searched all around the ashram the next day and on Friday, they registered a missing complaint with the Chikkodi police station.

Based on the complaint filed by Acharya Kamakumaranandi Charitable Trust president Bhimappa Ugare, the police registered a case and started an investigation. During the investigation, two accused were detained on the basis of suspicion, when they admitted to the murder.

The accused, however, did not give proper information about where they had disposed of the body after the murder. The accused said that, they killed and chopped the body into pieces and threw it in an open tubewell in a farmland at Khatakabavi village in Raibag taluk of Belagavi district. Then, they changed their statement and said that they had wrapped the body in a cloth and threw it in the river.

The police launched search operation for Nandi Maharaj’s body all night on Friday due to unclear information. The police, who have searched many places, including Khatakabavi village, have not found the body so far. A search operation was launched again from 6:30 am today.

The police searched a farmland in Khatakabavi village of Raibag taluk where the accused claimed that they had chopped the body and dumped it in a tubewell. The land was barricaded on both sides and the Khatakabavi-Mugalakhoda road was also closed to the public. The police restricted access to the public and media at the site.

Superintendent of Police Dr Sanjeev Patil, briefing media persons, said the monk has been missing since Wednesday. “The investigation was taken up based on the complaint by devotees and we went through what happened on Wednesday and the previous days while inquiring about visitors. Later, we got to know that the monk was murdered by some people when we questioned one of the close associates of the monk. He said that they murdered the monk in the ashram and disposed the body elsewhere. We have arrested two people, including the one who helped in this crime. He confessed that he had committed the murder as the monk asked them to return his money”.

Sanjeev Patil said, “I appeal to the villagers, the disciples and the media to cooperate with our search operation. No one is allowed to enter the site as we need to gather evidence and present it before court.The monk was killed for personal reasons. The investigation is under way”.

After more than seven hours of search, the body of Jain monk was found in a tubewell on a farmland on Saturday afternoon at Khatakabavi village in Raibag taluk of Belagavi district. Some devotees of the monk alleged that he was first electrocuted, the body cut into pieces, wrapped in cloth and tied, then dumped in the tubewell.