BELAGAVI: IN a shocking incident, a 78-year-old Jain monk died on Thursday in an elephant attack. The incident occurred in Nandani Mutt in Jaysingpur of neighbouring Maharashtra.
The deceased pontiff, Jinasena Bhattarak swamiji, was pushed by the mutt elephant when he went close to feed it on Thursday evening. When he fell off the ground, his head hit a rock injuring him grievously. He was rushed to a private hospital in Jaysingpur where he was declared dead. The funeral will be held in Nandani on Friday at 10 am.
The pontiff was head of nearly 800 Jain temples in Karnataka and Maharashtra and the Nandani mutt is known as the main point for the Chaturth sect of Digambar Jain community. With the loss, the devotees are in a state of shock and are rushing to the mutt from various parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
An eye witness told Express, “The swamji went close to the elephant to feed grass as the regular mahout was away. The elephant pushed the pontiff with its trunk and he fell on a rock injuring his head.”