A severe dispute involving two seers in Sangasar village of Ratangarh tehsil, situated in Rajasthan's Churu district, has triggered a high-profile investigation after one of the monks died under suspicious circumstances. On Thursday, authorities exhumed the body of Bannanath nearly 50 hours after he was buried in a samadhi, transferring the remains to the mortuary of the district hospital for a detailed postmortem examination. The incident sparked immediate public outrage across the surrounding region, with agitated locals blocking the Salasar road. Police officials rushed to the spot and held negotiations for nearly an hour before managing to clear the blockade and restore normal vehicular movement.
The Timeline From Haryana to the Rajasthan Ashram
The formal police complaint in the matter was lodged by Hansraj, a resident of Dholpalia village in Sirsa district, Haryana, who is the brother of the deceased monk. According to the complaint filed by Mohanlal's son Hansraj, his younger brother Bannanath renounced worldly life in 2004 to become a monk. For the past two years, Bannanath had been residing at Balaknath's ashram located in Rawatsar. He had briefly visited his native village on September 30. During this visit, on October 2, Bannanath received a phone call from Balaknath inviting him to attend a satsang gathering, prompting him to return to Rawatsar on October 3.
Loss of Contact and Allegations of Concealed Murder
On October 4, the family learned that Balaknath had taken Bannanath to Sangasar village in Ratangarh tehsil and left him in the care of Bajrangnath, stating that he would return to collect him after one week. Following this transfer, all direct communication with Bannanath abruptly ceased. When relatives contacted Balaknath to inquire about his whereabouts and well-being, they received evasive and unsatisfactory responses. Soon after, reports emerged that an altercation had broken out between Bannanath and Balaknath, resulting in Bannanath's death. In their formal report, family members alleged that Bannanath was severely assaulted and murdered, and that those involved hastily buried his body in a samadhi without alerting the family or the public in an deliberate attempt to destroy evidence.
Magistrate Orders Exhumation Amid Heavy Police Presence
Following the complaint, law enforcement authorities registered a murder case naming Balaknath, Bajrangnath, Mukeshnath, Loonnath, Laxminarayan, and several unidentified individuals. Acting on directives issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, an official exhumation was carried out under the supervision of Tehsildar Ankit Mimani. A medical team and personnel from the Forensic Science Laboratory were present on site as the body was dug out three days after the burial. Throughout the operation, Circle Inspector Sandeep Kumar and a substantial police contingent were deployed to maintain order as large crowds of villagers gathered at the location. The autopsy at the district hospital will formally determine the cause of death as the investigation progresses.
