Patna: Acharya Kishore Kunal, a former IPS officer, well-known philanthropist, and Ayodhya mediator who paved the way for the employment of Dalit priests in Bihar temples, died at the age of 74 following a massive cardiac arrest here on Sunday.
Kunal suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours and was immediately taken to a hospital where he passed away around 8 am, his family said.
A 1972-batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer, Kunal served in Bihar, Jharkhand and Gujarat until he took voluntary retirement in 2001. After seeking voluntary retirement in 2001, he was appointed as the vice-chancellor of the Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit (KSDS) University in Darbhanga.
In 1989, he was appointed officer on special duty (OSD) to Ayodhya by the ministry of home affairs during the tenure of Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh. He continued in the same position under subsequent Prime Ministers Chandra Shekhar and P V Narasimha Rao. As the OSD to Ayodhya, he was instrumental in negotiating between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Babri Masjid Action Committee.
As head of Patna’s famous Hanuman Mandir Trust, he is credited with appointing the first Dalit priest in any temple in Bihar, on June 13, 1993.
He was also known as a tough and honest police officer. Kunal hit the headlines for several weeks after he, as the superintendent of police (SP) of Patna district, investigated the famous Swetnisha Rani alias Bobby murder case in 1983.
After Bobby’s death, the matter was kept under wraps for four days. After a Patna-based newspaper carried a report about her mysterious death, Kunal, as the SP, got a case of unnatural death registered. He also got the body of Bobby exhumed from the graveyard.
As Kunal prepared to probe further into the case, there was political pressure on him to go slow. Then, police investigation revealed Bobby’s affairs with a deputy minister, some MLAs, and one highly connected employee of the assembly.
“Immense pressure was placed on the state govt as ample evidence against several politicians emerged. More than 40 MLAs and two ministers reportedly threatened the then state govt, stating that unless the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), they would topple the govt. Left with no choice, the then CM Jagannath Mishra transferred the case to the CBI on May 25, 1983,” a senior politician recalled.
Kunal also brought laurels for the Bihar Police after he took on the infamous dacoit gangs of Kaimur hills, then known as ‘Mini Chambal,’ as the SP of Rohtas district.
Kunal also served as the chief of the Bihar State Board of Religious Trust (BSBRT) and founder secretary of Patna’s Mahavir Mandir Trust, which runs several hospitals in the state. For the last few years, Kunal was working for the establishment of Viraat Ramayan Mandir in East Champaran district.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and CM Nitish Kumar expressed their condolences on his death.
“I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the sudden demise of Acharya Kishor Kunal, former officer of the Indian Police Service, former President of the Bihar State Religious Trust Board, and founder secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust Committee. He did remarkable work for society by combining religion with human service,” Arlekar said.
“His demise has caused an irreparable loss in the administrative, religious and social fields. May God grant him a place on his feet. Deep condolences to his bereaved family and well-wishers,” he added.
Nitish said Kunal was an efficient and sensitive administrator and officer. “He was also associated with various social and religious organisations. He carried out various social and religious works while holding the post of secretary of Mahavir Mandir Trust Committee. He successfully performed his works while holding the post of President of Bihar State Religious Trust Board,” Nitish said.
“His demise is an irreparable loss in the administrative, social and religious field,” the CM added.