Daijiworld Media Network – Bhopal
Bhopla, Apr 19: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case and the BJP candidate against former MP Chief Minister Digvijay Singh in Bhopal, has said that 26/11 hero Hemant Karkare died because she had ‘cursed’ him.
Hemant Karkare was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) when he was shot three times in the chest and killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. He had investigated Sadhvi Pragya in connection with the blasts in Malegaon two months before the Mumbai attack.
Sadhvi Pragya at a press conference on Thursday said, "I had told him you will be finished, and he was killed by terrorists in less than two months," and the BJB leaders received her words with a loud applause bragged and flanked her for her repulsive statement.
"The investigation team called Hemant Karkare and said if you do not have evidence, let her go. He said, I will do anything to get evidence against her. I won't let her go. This was his hatred (kuteelta). He was anti-national. He was dharam virudh (anti-religion). You won't believe, but I said, 'tera sarvanashhoga'. Just after 'sawa' month, terrorists killed him," said Sadhvi Pragya to reporters on Thursday.
Mr Karkare was the first officer to investigate the blasts on September 29, 2008, in which, Col Shrikant Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya and others were arrested and charged with plotting the blasts. The blast had reportedly killed six people and injured 101 in Malegaon town. However, in 2015, Sadhvi Pragya got a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) but the trial court refused to let her off and said it is difficult to accept NIA report since her motorcycle was found used in the blast. Though the court dropped charges against her, the trial is still on under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Sadhvi Pragya joined the BJP this week and was named as the party's candidate from Bhopal for the upcoming election. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12.