Ashram burning: Crime branch seeks action against police officers who first investigated case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The crime branch has asked for an investigation into police officers who initially took the case of arson in Sandeepanandagiri’s ashram. The DGP has prepared a report for the same. Two DYSPs are involved in the initial team that took up the case of fire in the ashram.

It was on October 27th, 2018 when Sandeepanandagiri’s ashram was put on flames by unknown assailants. The report by DGP mentions the fall in duties of the then officers who failed to store the CCTV visuals, fingerprints, and other vital details regarding the crime.

The control room assistant commissioner worked with the case for more than five months before transferring it to the crime branch. The Pettah crime branch unit has now prepared a chargesheet and arrested three people regarding the crime.

Last year, Prasanth came into the spotlight revealing his brother Prakash as the one who put fire on the ashram. Prakash committed suicide in 2022 and was an active member of RSS. The Kundamankadavu police showed lax moving with the suicide case which raised suspicion. Prasanth then came to the forefront and revealed how the organization was piling up pressure on the family which forced his brother to commit suicide. All arrested three are members of the BJP.