Priest’s murder prompts bandh in Malegaon

NASHIK, June 3: Close on the heels of the murder of the chief of Nityanand Ashram in Deolali on Saturday night, the Mahant of the Zanjeshwa...

NASHIK, June 3: Close on the heels of the murder of the chief of Nityanand Ashram in Deolali on Saturday night, the Mahant of the Zanjeshwar Panch Dashnami Juna Akhada, Bholeshwar Giriji Maharaj, was found murdered today morning in Malegaon, resulting in a bandh in the town.

According to a complaint lodged at the Killa police station, Malegaon, devotees Raju Prajapati and Pandit Arjun Patil found Mahant Giriji lying dead in a pool of blood with a serious head injury this morning. A blood stained wooden club found nearby, was suspected to have been used by the killer to deliver the fatal blow.

As news of the murder spread in the town, a spontaneous bandh was observed in Hindu localities like Sangameshwar, Panjrapol, Tamba Kata, Sapati Bazar and Panch Kadeel. Local traders and Hindu organisations called for the bandh.Giriji Maharaj was a pupil of Khemkaran Giriji Maharaj and had been nominated as Mahant about 15 months ago. The complex of the Akhada is located on the spot, where the Girna and Mosam rivers converge. Though the residence of the Mahant was found ransacked, police suspect that a dispute over the appointment of the deceased as Mahant, might have been the cause.

The incident caused tension in the communally sensitive powerloom town of Malegaon. Life in Muslim localities was normal.