Bangalore: A day after a firing incident 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 Sri Sri 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 Ajaikumar Singh told reporters upon visiting the ashram.
Sri Sri Ravishankar had escaped unhurt on Sunday when an unidentified gunman fired at his convoy at his ashram.
(Read: Sri Sri Ravishankar escapes bid on life in Bangalore)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 Sri Sri Ravishankar's convoy had left the spot," Singh said.
Speaking to reporters at his ashram this morning, Sri Sri Ravishankar said he was happy with the existing security and has forgiven the attacker.
(Watch:I welcome the attacker to satsang, says Sri Sri Ravishankar)"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", he said.
The spiritual guru also 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 pm to 10 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 Sri Sri 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 Sri Sri 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.
Meanwhile, life continued as usual at the sprawling Art of Living Foundation ashram.
"There has been no change in any programme and schedule", a spokesperson of the ashram said.
Ravishankar participated in a '
puja' this morning which was attended by many people. He is also scheduled to address a '
satsang' late in the evening, in which nearly 4000 were expected to participate, he said.
Except for tightening of security, life and programmes at the ashram continued undeterred, he said.
"We have several programmes currently going on in the ashram including courses for some of devotees from Jharkhand and West Bengal", he said.
"There is absolutely no sense of fear or panic among those present inside the ashram", he said.