'Hemant Karkare died because I cursed him', BJP's Sadhvi Pragya's flippant remark

In 2017, a Madhya Pradesh court acquitted Thakur of all charges in connection with the 2007 murder of Joshi, a right-wing activist. Her main rival in the election is Congress veteran Digvijay Singh.

Relatives and colleagues of slain Indian Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare move his mortal remains durign a funeral ceremony in Mumbai on November 29, 2008, following his death in the Mumbai attacks. Karkare, who is being given a state funeral, was shot dead by terrorists along with encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte near Cama Hospital. FILE PIC/AFP.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh Lok Sabha elections): Sadhvi Paragya, Malegaon blast accused and BJP’s candidate from Bhopal, has made a flippant remark, claiming that former chief of Mumbai’s Anti-Terrorist Squad, Hemant Karkare, who was killed by terrorists during 26/11 terror attacks, had to pay with his life because she had “cursed him”. The Karkare-led ATS was the first to arrest Hindu right-wing group activists for a series of low-intensity blasts in Thane and Navi Mumbai in June 2008. Again, after the Malegaon blast, his team arrested Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, army officer Prasad Purohit and activists of Pune-based right-wing group Abhinav Bharat on charges of plotting it. Addressing a public meeting on Thursday, Sadhvi Pragyay broke down while narrating how she was "tortured" while in custody of the police. Blaming Karkare for the “threats, torture, inhuman and abuse in custody,” she said “maine kaha tha tera sarvanash hoga (I cursed him that he would be destroyed).

The 48-year-old saffron activist, who is out on bail on health grounds, has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. In 2017, a Madhya Pradesh court acquitted Thakur of all charges in connection with the 2007 murder of Joshi, a right-wing activist. Her main rival in the election is Congress veteran Digvijay Singh.

If Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is fit to contest election, she is fit to be in jail, NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said Thursday.