THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major development in the case pertaining to the arson attack in the ashram of Swamy Sandeepananda Giri, who had supported the left government in the Sabarimala women's entry issue, the Crime Branch has revealed that it was an RSS worker and his friends, who had carried out the offence.
Prasanth, brother of RSS worker Prasad who committed suicide in January this year, gave a statement to the Crime Branch that it was a team led by his brother and his friends who had carried out the attack. The vehicles parked in the compound of the ashram at Kundamankadavu were set on fire by unidentified men on October 27, 2018.
The incident had garnered attention as Giri was supportive of the LDF government's bid to enforce the Supreme Court verdict allowing women's entry to the Sabarimala shrine. After the attack, several leading political figures, including CM Pinarayi Vijayan, visited the ashram to express his solidarity with Giri.
The case was first probed by the local police. However, the case was handed over to the Crime Branch as the police failed to identify the culprits.
The Home Department had come under criticism for not being able to nab the culprits and the right-wing trolls alleged that there was something fishy about the incident.
Prasanth, meanwhile, told the Crime Branch that he decided to reveal to the cops about his involvement post his suicide death as none of the RSS leaders paid a visit to his brother's house.
Meanwhile, Giri responded that there could be more men involved in the attack and sought a detailed probe into the suicide death of Prakash as well.
He said Prakash and his associates had earlier visited his ashram in connection with an issue involving a student of the ashram.