Contact information:
A’ca’rya Kalya’nmitra’nanda Avadhu’ta
Central Public Relations Secretary
A’nanda Ma’rga Praca’raka Sam’gha
Madhu Manjusa, Hehal, Ratu Road
Ranchi, Jharkhand, 834005 (India)
Ph: +91 70763 69807,
email:
Release date: July 3, 2024
Ananda Marga Condemns Tragic Killing in Malur Taluka, Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting All Life
For Immediate Release
On June 22, 2024 a senior monk of Ananda Marga was brutally beaten and killed on June 22, 2024, by three individuals in a dispute related to the Ananda Marga Polytechnic College, in Malur Taluka of Kolar District, Karnataka State, India. The institution had been under his management for the past more than 10 years.
In an official statement Ananda Marga writes, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our senior monk, A’ca’rya Cinmaya’nanda Avadhu’ta. Ananda Marga strongly condemns this act of violence which is a direct contradiction to the core principles and values that the mission upholds. The alleged involvement of two former monks is particularly distressing.”
According to the leadership of Ananda Marga, two individuals alleged to have committed the crime have been acting despite being expelled by the organization in 2022 for their indisciplined conduct. However, they continued using Ananda Marga’s authentic sannyasin uniforms and identity, deceiving followers as well as the general public.
According to the official Ananda Marga statement on the matter, “This violent criminal behavior of theirs itself proves that they are not worthy of even being considered a follower of Ananda Marga, let alone having a spiritual monk’s status.”
Ananda Marga has declared that it is taking immediate steps to thoroughly investigate this incident, cooperate with authorities, and ensure that all those responsible for the crime are held accountable for their actions. At the moment, three suspects have been arrested by police in Kolar district.
Meanwhile, the organisation also declares, “We reaffirm our commitment to the sacredness of all life. All of our practicing members of Ananda Marga take a daily vow to cause no harm to others, and we consider moral principles to be the foundation of our entire practice and conduct. This tragedy is a stark reminder that straying from these fundamental principles can lead to devastating consequences.”
In response, the organisation is committing to strengthen the spiritual and ethical training of all Ananda Margiis, especially the monks and its social leadership, “…with a renewed focus on upholding our core values of morality, unity, love for all life forms, and mutual respect for one another.”
Ananda Marga’s statement on the issue concludes by reaffirming the organisation’s mission and calling all followers to join in protecting all beings.
“Ananda Marga mission will continue to guide all seekers on the sacred path of Yoga and Meditation as propounded by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Ji, promote Neohumanist respect for all, living as well as the nonliving, and operate our educational institutions and social service projects with revised dedication characterizing our work for decades.
We call upon all Margiis to join us in this renewed ideological commitment to our principles and to establishing an environment that safeguards and protects us all from any form of violence, exploitation, or abuse. Together, we will surely emerge from this tragedy stronger and ever more united in our mission of self-realization and service to humanity.”