Monk’s death: Builder, three others held

Express news service, January 11, 2008

Mumbai, India -- The Mumbai Police today arrested four persons “for further questioning” in connection with the death of Buddhist monk Bhante Sangaraj Mahathero.

<< Buddhist monk Bhante Sangaraj Mahathero - was he murdered?

Among those arrested is the builder, Zuber Lakdawala, named in the First Information Report (FIR). The Bhikshu Sangh (Order of the Sangha) alleged that it was a case of murder perpetrated by a builder and a few others who wanted the land around the temple for construction.

The monk was found dead with a rope around his neck in his Gautam Nagar room on January 6, sparking tension in Deonar and Govandi.

“The four persons who were named in the FIR were summoned by the investigating team. They were questioned and later arrested,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone VI) Niket Kaushik.

“The first accused named in the FIR, Manohar Jadhav (45), was summoned and questioned earlier in the day. Jadhav is the president of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme being developed by Lakdawala Builders. Jadhav was presented before the court and has been sent to police custody till January 16. The other three—Dr Vivek Kolekar, Arun Kamble and builder Zuber Lakdawala—were summoned, questioned and arrested later in the evening. They will be presented in the court tomorrow,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region) Hemant Nagrale.

At this stage, Nagrale said, “Section 302 of the IPC is what the FIR states. We will conduct further questioning and investigations and collect evidence to strengthen the case.”

The monk’s death has sparked tension in Deonar, Govandi and nearby areas with protesters turning violent, alleging the involvement of a builder in the death.

Initially suspected to be a case of suicide by the police, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil termed it “suspicious”, asking the police to register a case of murder.

After the first post-mortem was inconclusive, a second post-mortem was ordered. The viscera reports are expected in a week.

The Lakdawala builders were unavailable for comment.

The Buddhist Channel - Donate to Support Our Work



An Appeal

In deep gratitude for your support! We are half way to meeting our target (US$ 10,400 of US$ 18,000 already achieved)!

The Buddhist Channel is a dedicated group of "mindful communication practitioners" striving to make a positive impact on the Buddhist community. We deeply believe in the power of mindful journalism and are reaching out to you with a heartfelt request for your support. Your donation, no matter the size, can make a tangible difference in the lives of countless Buddhist monastics, local communities and other dedicated engaged workers. With your help, we make their stories known, and thereby opening up avenues for them to obtain sustainable support for their work.

Please indicate whether your support will be a donation or a loan. We will get back to you via email. We thank you in advance for providing us financial relieve. May the Buddha Dharma ever be your guide and protector.

Note: To date, we have received the following:

US$ 900 from Esa Myllykoski (donation)
US$ 9,500 from Lance Edwards/Kau Soo Kin (loan)

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP