Rajkot

Jayant Pandya who heads NGO Bharat Janvigyan Jatha in Rajkot has been booked under IPC 306 by Paddhari police in Rajkot district.

One Lakshman Velaria, priest in local temple committed suicide through self immolation today. He mentioned Haren Pandya of Vigyan Jatha NGO responsible for his suicide in his suicide note. He also mentioned that untill and unless Pandya is booked and arrested, his dead body should not be taken for cremation.

Lakshmanbhai’s relatives and family members pointed out that it was not Haren Pandya but Jayant Pandya whom Lakshmanbhai described responsible for his suicide. Jayant Pandya runs Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha.

Lakshmanbhai is priest in local temple where there’s a tradition of sacrifice of animal. Jayant Pandya’s NGO works against such ritual. Lakshmanbhai alleged in his sucide note that Pandya was harassing him. Lakshmanbhai was of opinion that while those belonging to other faiths are not prevented from killing animals in mass during their festival, while he should drop a tradition in his temple.

Local Koli and Devi Pujak community members gathered in support of Lakshmanbhai following his self immolation. Meanwhile Jayant Pandya speaking to a local news channel said he had not harassed Lakshmanbhai.

Section 306 in The Indian Penal Code

306. Abatement of suicide.—If any person commits suicide, whoever abets the commission of such suicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

PTI report:

Two activists of the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha, an organisation working against blind faith, have been booked after a 55-year-old retired railway employee committed suicide by torching himself today.

Laxman Popat Velariya committed suicide by pouring kerosene and setting himself on fire at a farm near Geeta Nagar area of the city, the police said.

A suicide note found near his body alleged that he had to take the extreme step due to repeated harassment by the two Jatha workers, they said.

“We have booked two activists of the organisation, namely Haren Pandya and Virji Sunra, on the basis of the suicide note,” sub-inspector J M Solanki, who is also investigating the case said.

“The two have been booked under sections 306, 506(2) and 114 of the Indian Penal Code,” the officer said.

When contacted, Jayant Pandya, who is chairman of the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha organisation denied the allegation and said that Jatha activists never met the deceased to stop animal sacrifice.

Velariya belonged to the Koli community which is known to sacrifice animals, while the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha has been working to stop animal sacrifice.

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