Bangalore: A day after a bullet was fired in the ashram of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar, police on Monday termed it as an "incident" and said it was not a "targeted attack" on him.
The security of 54-year-old Ravishankar, the founder of Art of Living (AOL), has been beefed up, they said. "I do not call it an attack. It is an incident. Whether it was meant at a person or not, we cannot say at the moment", Karnataka DGP Ajai kumar Singh, who visited the ashram, told reporters here.
Ravishankar had escaped unhurt yesterday when an unidentified gunman fired at his convoy at his ashram here.
Giving details about the firing, Singh said the bullet was fired from about 700 to 750 feet away and so far no body has claimed to have seen the attacker. The ammunition found at the site is .32 mm and it is a versatile one that could be used for a variety of weapons, he said.
The incident of firing occurred between 6.05 PM and 6. 10 PM and at least five minutes after Ravishankar's convoy had left the spot, Singh said.
Speaking to reporters at his ashram this morning, Ravishankar said he was happy with the existing security and has forgiven the attacker.
"I heard a loud noise. But I was in my usual calm self. My driver had a premonition that there could be some kind of attack on me", Ravishankar said.
The spiritual guru said, "I do not have enemies. However, whoever has done this, I forgive him.I give him amnesty.I invite him to join our satsang course.I will teach him meditation and Sudarshan Kriya (a breathing technique popularised by him)."
Quoting the account of a devotee, Vijaykumar, the DGP said he had told the police that he heard the noise and felt a burning sensation in his left thigh, but there was no bleeding injury.
Singh said, "The ashram people informed the Harohalli police Inspector around 9.10- 9.15 pm and the message reached the Ramanagara Superintendent of Police around 9.45 to ten PM".
He said according to Forensic Science Laboratory experts, it was not a flat trajectory and it would have been aimed high, but came down. "It was almost a dead bullet." The police have provided "Y" category security to Ravishankar, with four police personnel guarding him round-the-clock.
Meanwhile, BJP President Nitin Gadkari has written a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa expressing concern over the issue and asked him to beef up Ravishankar's security.
Replying to questions, the Karnataka DGP said that a case has been registered under 304 IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and the Arms Act.
On Ravishankar's statement that some of his disciples had heard the firing, Singh said, "No, I will not comment on anybody else's statement. We will report to you about what evidence we have."
He also replied in the negative when asked if Ravishankar had received any threat from any group. Singh said the police will carry out a joint security audit at the ashram to ascertain if more security was needed. PTI
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