Lucknow, Apr 3 (IANS) — The murders took place in Jaunpur in the eastern part of the state. “In each case, the victim appears to have been bludgeoned with a blunt weapon,” said a police official.
Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayanand, who represented the Jaunpur constituency in the dissolved Lok Sabha, is equally baffled.
Sadhus of Jaunpur had protested outside the district magistrate’s residence against the killings, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
“It seems like an organised gang is behind this, as the manner of killing appears to be the same in all cases,” a senior police official told IANS.
According to a police official, the murders could be by members of a criminal tribe who consider smearing their weapon (usually a wooden baton) with a sadhu’s blood as a “good omen” for future acts of crime.
“This is one of the wild guesses being put forth by the people here, but we are working on some other theories as well and hope to get to the root of the crime soon,” he asserted.
© Copyright 2004 IANS India Private Limited, New Delhi. Posted on Religioscope with permission.