Ramanagaram police probing the alleged suicide of a Lingayat seer have recovered one other suicide observe on Thursday.
Sri Basavalingeshwara Swami, the 45-year-old head pontiff of the Kunchagal Bande Mutt in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district, was discovered useless in a room on the monastery on Monday. Police recovered a three-page purported suicide observe and registered a case of unnatural dying on the Kudur police station.
Ramanagaram Superintendent of Police Ok Santhosh Babu advised HT that each suicide notes left behind by the seer have been three pages lengthy.
“One observe was addressed to police whereas one other was addressed to different pontiffs and devotees. The mutt workers who noticed the dying observe had allegedly hidden one of many notes, which we’ve got recovered now,” the officer mentioned.
He added there have been allegations that the dying observe had six pages, and solely three pages have been recovered.
Whereas probing this side, police recovered the notes from the devotes. The SP didn’t expose the small print of the dying observe that has been recovered.
One other officer within the district police, talking on the situation of anonymity, mentioned that the dying notes have some names, which the police are probing.
He added that the episode has led to a suspicion that shut aides of the pontiff, who have been in mutt, have been additionally concerned within the case.
The officer additionally identified that on Sunday, two native political leaders met the pontiff and held a gathering with the pontiff. Police are attempting to determine these guests.
Police on Wednesday mentioned it recovered 4 video clips involving a outstanding seer discovered useless in his monastery three days in the past and detained three folks for questioning, hinting that the 45-year-old man could have been blackmailed earlier than his dying.
“Now we have recovered 4 video clips and our groups are investigating them for a potential honey entice,” Ramanagara superintendent of police (SP) Ok Santosh Babu advised HT. “As soon as we determine folks concerned with these movies, we will confirm the explanation for the suicide.”One of many movies surfaced on social media.
The event got here a day after the police mentioned that the purported suicide observe didn’t blame anybody for “harassment”, “menace” or “blackmail” as alleged by some devotees of the pontiff and officers of the mutt.
The SP mentioned on Wednesday that two cellphones utilized by the seer have been despatched to the forensic sciences laboratory (FSL) to get extra particulars. “We’re probing the suicide from all angles, together with the honey entice.”
A senior police officer mentioned on situation of anonymity that the movies, which have been uploaded on social media, purportedly confirmed the pontiff with a girl in a video name. The officer added that the lady, believed to be a resident of Bengaluru, was involved with the seer over video requires six months.
“The girl recorded their personal movies throughout these calls, which have been later used to blackmail him,” the officer mentioned.
Police detained three folks in reference to the case thus far, and their questioning was underway, the officer mentioned, refusing to expose particulars about their identification.
“It stays unclear what calls for have been made by the blackmailers,” the officer mentioned. “Now we have to probe additional. As of now, we’ve got these movies and suspect the seer was honey trapped and blackmailed utilizing these movies, which compelled him to finish his life.”
HT couldn’t independently confirm the authenticity of the purported movies.
On Monday morning, the workers of the 400-year-old mutt discovered Basavalingeshwara Swami useless within the room. “After the seer didn’t open the door and didn’t reply to repeated cellphone calls, a workers member broke open the door and located him useless,” mentioned a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.