KOLAR, 22 JUNE

Ananda Marga group pontiff Acharya Chinmayananda was murdered in Kolar on Saturday over land dispute related to educational institutions run by Ananda Margis. Malur police have arrested three people for allegedly killing the 65-year-old pontiff from Kolkata.

This murder took place at 6am on Saturday when Chinmayananda was attacked by a group at his ashram at Santhehalli in Malur taluk. Those arrested are Arun Kumar, Dharma Pranananda Swamijiand Praneshwarananda and police is on the lookout for other culprits.

Chinmayananda was allegedly dragged to a nearby cottage and assaulted, causing him grievous injuries. The dispute began in 2010 when the Head office of Ananda Marga group transferred Acharya Animeshananda Avadooth (Principal) and appointed Archargya Dharma Prananda Avadooth in his place.

Following this, groupism started in the institutions and there was a split among the administrators, staff and the students. Many counter complaints were lodged with police and courts. Kolar Superintendent of Police M Narayan said there was a long dispute between two groups of the mutt over the ownership of the land and also over the administration of the Diploma College run by Ananda Marga group at Santhehalli.  —Salar News