Atmananda Saraswati Swamiji booked for hate speech calling for killing of Muslims, Christians
Bengaluru, June 16: The Subramanyapura Police in Bengaluru have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Atmananda Saraswati Swamiji of the Samartha Sridharashrama Trust after a viral video surfaced on social media showing him delivering an hate speech calling for violence against Muslims and Christians.
The FIR has been registered suo motu by the police under sections 196(1) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, on Sunday, June 16.
The controversial video, which first appeared on Saturday, June 15, triggered massive outrage across Karnataka and beyond. In the video, Swamiji can be heard saying, "Only Sanatana Dharma is the true religion in this country. All others are just groups. Muslims and Christians must be eliminated using modern weapons."
ALSO READ: Atmananda Saraswati Swamiji calls for killing of Muslims,Christians in viral video; Triggers outrage
He further added, "There is no wrong in killing thousands if they go against Sanatana Dharma. Our earlier leaders made a mistake by sparing them out of mercy. Now this must stop. Hindus must rise like Shivaji and cleanse the nation of such elements."
The speech was reportedly delivered during a religious gathering at his residence at Flat No. 202, Siriram Paradise Apartment, Purnapragna Nagar, AGS Layout, Uttarahalli, Bengaluru.
Police officials said that the FIR was filed after verifying the authenticity of the video and the gravity of its content. Head Constable Vinay Kumar A.B. (HC-9784) of Subramanyapura Police Station submitted the formal report, citing that the statements made by the Swamiji had the potential to incite violence, disturb public peace, and promote enmity between religious communities.
The FIR clearly states that the speech amounts to promoting hatred, calling for communal violence, and encouraging a targeted attack on minority communities.
The registration of the FIR has come after widespread pressure from the public and digital platforms where the video continues to circulate. Many have called on the government and law enforcement agencies to take stronger action against individuals misusing religious platforms to spread hate and provoke violence.
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Maldivian military diver dead while searching for bodies of four Italian divers
Colombo (AP): A Maldivian military diver died Saturday while searching for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave.
The group of five Italian divers is believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 metres in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy's Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 metres.
Maldives Presidential Spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef said that Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital.
“The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission,” he said.
Earlier, Shareef said the searchers had prepared a plan based on their progress exploring the cave on Friday. Mahudhee was part of the group that briefed Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on the rescue plan when he visited the search site on Friday.
Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts.
The Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. His ministry stated it was coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organisation, to support recovery operations and the repatriation of the bodies. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.
The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government.
Benedetti's body was recovered on Thursday.
Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said in a statement Friday. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was “undertaken privately,” it said.
The statement also said the two other victims — student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri — were not involved in the scientific mission.
Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialised training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor.
Experts say it's easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.
Diving at 50 metres also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40 metres considered technical diving and requiring specialised training and equipment.
Shareef said Benedetti's body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave.
Two Italians, a deep-sea rescue expert and a cave diving expert, are expected to join the recovery effort, Shareef said.
Italian officials said that around 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel “Duke of York” were safe. Italy's embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid.
The Maldives tourism ministry said it has suspended the operating license of the “Duke of York” pending an investigation.
The Italian foreign ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.
On Saturday, they will explore the third chamber, the ministry added.
Italian officials and the honourary consul are in contact with the victims' families to provide assistance.
