By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Two Kerala police officials were suspended Monday two days after a swami (godman), detained after he threatened to commit suicide, was injured as his pistol went off inside the police station in full view of television cameras.
The decision to suspend sub-inspector N.J Murali and circle inspector Babu Kumar of the Aluva police station and to reprimand Deputy Superintendent of Police T.V.Unniraja was taken at a high-level meeting Director General of Police Raman Srivastava held with top police officers.
Himaval Maheswara Bhadranandaji, popularly known as ‘Ernakulam Swami’, was taken to Aluva police station Saturday morning from his house in Kochi after he threatened to commit suicide.
In full view of the media personnel present, Bhadranandaji was seen walking inside the police station talking on phone and the pistol in his hand. When the police officials tried to restrain him, the gun went off in the ensuing melee. Two shots were fired.
On Monday, Bhadranandji’s bail application was rejected by a Kochi court.
Meanwhile, the police have decided to keep a strict vigil on the activities of swamis and godmen in the state after arrests of two swamis in the past one week.
Earlier, the police arrested Santhosh Madhavan alias Swami Amrithachaithanya on charges of rape, cheating and possessing drugs. A tiger skin and a large number of pornographic films were also recovered from his house in Kochi.