Police and Krishnamurti's supporters clash in Pashupati

Kathmandu, August 17 - On Friday evening, police arrived at Pashupati’s Kotihom (a sacred Hindu ritual) to inform the self-styled godman Bijay Krishnamurti Ji ‘Maharaj’ that he needed to accompany them. 

Krishnamurti, also known as Bijay Bhandari, had just completed his Kotihom session and was waiting in the parking lot when officers from the District Police Range Kathmandu and Gaushala Police Circle approached him. He refused their request, leading to resistance from his supporters.

Krishnamurti broadcasted a Facebook Live video, urging his followers to come to Pashupati, asserting, “The police have come to arrest me.”

The situation at Pashupati Kotihom intensified as a clash broke out between Krishnamurti’s supporters and the police, resulting in injuries to a police sub-inspector. SSP Basant Rajaure of Kathmandu attempted to negotiate with Krishnamurti at Gaushala, but Krishnamurti declined the meeting, prompting Rajaure to leave after a brief discussion with his aides.

The District Police Range Kathmandu is investigating the validity of Krishnamurti’s ‘police character certificate.’ Krishnamurti had previously been sentenced to one year and two months in prison for fraud and fined 818,500 rupees. His current police certificate, however, does not reflect this criminal record, raising concerns about potential falsification.

SP Nabaraj Adhikari of the District Police Range Kathmandu stated that the police were not seeking to arrest Krishnamurti but only wished to question him regarding the origins of his police certificate. The investigation is focused on how he obtained a document that seems to omit his criminal history.