Such statement should never be made: Fadnavis on Pragya's

BJP candidate and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur should not have made her controversial statement on slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis said Friday evening.

Thakur is under fire for saying that Karkare died in the 26/11 terror attack because she had cursed him for 'torturing' her when he probed the Malegaon blast case as then chief of the state Anti-Terrorism Squad.

"Late Mr Karkare was a very brave and upright police officer and will be revered as a martyr forever. Sadhvi Pragya's remark is personal opinion and we don't support it," Fadanvis said.

"She has also apologised and said that it (the statement) was made out of personal pain. However I feel that such statement should never be made," the chief minister said.

Thakur, who is contesting Lok Sabha election from Bhopal on BJP ticket, was arrested in the 2008 Malegaon blast case and later got bail. She is facing trial in the case.