Minister promises release of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati inquiry report soon

Bhubaneswar, Aug 26: Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday announced that the report from the inquiry commission into the brutal killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati will soon be made public. "The Chief Minister has discussed this matter, and a decision will be made shortly," Harichandan informed reporters.

Earlier, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan paid tribute to the late seer by garlanding his statue in Gurujanga, Talcher. Pradhan, along with Swami Laxmanananda’s son Lokanath Das and other VHP and BJP leaders, called for a CBI investigation into the murder and demanded severe penalties for the perpetrators.

In preparation for the Janmashtami celebration, which also marks the anniversary of the seer's death, the Kandhamal administration has put in place extensive security measures. This follows recent social media posts raising concerns about potential unrest.

Swami Laxmanananda and four associates were assassinated by unidentified gunmen at his Jalespata Ashram on August 23, 2008, triggering severe communal riots in Kandhamal and surrounding areas. The violence resulted in 38 deaths and displaced thousands, prompting a 40-day curfew to restore order.

The state Crime Branch's second chargesheet revealed prima facie evidence against several Maoists, including Sabyasachi Panda, Udaya, Somanath Dandasena, Azad Duna Keshava Rao, Dasru, Lalu, and Lakhmu. In October 2013, all eight, including Maoist leader Udaya, were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Swami Laxmanananda.