Seer's statue vandalised in Bengaluru, accused claims dream of Jesus Christ 'inspired' him
A statue of the revered Lingayat seer Shivakumar Swami was vandalized in Bengaluru. The accused, Srikrishna, claimed he was inspired by a vision of Jesus Christ in a dream. Police are investigating the incident and the accused's mental health.
FollowThe statue of the revered Lingayat seer Shivakumar Swami of Bengaluru's Siddaganga Mutt was vandalised on November 30. The accused, Srikrishna, a 37-year-old delivery executive from Andhra Pradesh, was arrested. During interrogation, he claimed he was “inspired” to deface the statue by a vision of Jesus Christ in a dream.
During questioning, Andhra Pradesh native Srikrishna admitted to the act, saying that a dream in which he saw Jesus Christ "inspired" him to demolish the statue. Around 1:30 am, Srikrishna allegedly approached the monument in Veerabhadra Nagar, Bengaluru, and partly vandalized it before fleeing the scene. Locals found out about the destruction by morning.
Residents in the area staged protests in response to the defacement, calling for prompt action against the offender. With swift action, the police took Srikrishna into prison, brought him before the court, and remanded him in judicial custody.
The Archbishop of Bangalore, Dr. Peter Machado, called the accused's defense "baseless and reprehensible," and he urged people to avoid becoming victims of attempts at communal provocation. Such remarks serve only to sow division and stress within the community. The Archbishop declared, "This disrespect is intolerable towards a great saint like Shivakumar Swami Ji, who was a symbol of peace, compassion, and secular values."
The police are now examining whether Srikrishna's mental health played a role in the crime. According to the police, a medical checkup has been performed, and more assessments are being carried out. They are nonetheless wary, though, of hastily blaming the act entirely on psychological causes without conducting a full examination.
Shivakumar Swami, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 111, was widely respected for his philanthropic contributions, particularly in education and social welfare. The seer was often referred to as a "walking God" by his followers.
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.
