Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Aug 26: Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan today announced that the inquiry commission report on the brutal killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati will soon be made public.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited Swami Laxmanananda’s native village Gurujanga in Talcher, where he garlanded a statue of the seer. During the visit, his son Lokanath Das, along with other VHP and BJP leaders, called for a CBI investigation into the murder and demanded stringent punishment for those responsible.
In the meantime, the Kandhamal administration has implemented extensive security measures to ensure a peaceful Janmashtami celebration, which also marks the death anniversary of the slain VHP leader. This precautionary step follows concerns about potential unrest raised by recent social media posts.
Swami Laxmanananda, an 84-year-old seer, and four of his associates were assassinated by unidentified gunmen at his Jalespata Ashram in Tumudibandh on August 23, 2008—coinciding with Janmashtami. The attack led to severe ethno-communal riots in Kandhamal and surrounding areas, resulting in at least 38 deaths and displacing thousands. In response, the district administration imposed a 40-day curfew to restore order.
