Ramachandrapur Mutt case: Divakar’s brother commits suicide

 

Mangalore, 31 Aug 2014: In a fresh twist to the ongoing blackmail and sexual abuse case pertaining to the Shri Ramachandrapur Mutt in Hosanagar of Shimoga district, the brother of Divakar Shastry, whose daughter accused Mutt seer of sexual harassment, allegedly committed suicide by shooting self with a gun. Though the grievously hurt victim was rushed to the hospital in Mangalore after the alleged suicide attempt, he did not survive.

 

The victim is Shyamprasad Shastry, around 48, a resident of Badekkila of Kedila Village near Mani. He was an office bearer of Vivekananda Vidyavardka Sangha, Puttur.

 

Honnavar police had arrested singer Premalatha and her husband Divakar Shastry in Bangalore a week back, for allegedly blackmailing Raghaveshwara Bharati seer. This led to Premalatha’s daughter lodging a complaint against the seer in Banashankari police station that her mother was complaining that she has been allegedly sexually abused against her will by the seer.

 

The suicide incident happened at 2pm. The grievously injured had been admitted to KMC Hospital here. Superintendent of Police SD Sharanappa told: The reason for the incident is not known since no kin of the victim has come to us so far. We are waiting for them. He said the victim had used licensed single bore breech loading gun (SBBL) for the act.

 

Sources close to the victim said: Though the Divakar couple was steadfast against their opposition to the seer, Shyamprasad had a different view and wanted to meet the seer. In fact, he was to meet seer on Sunday 8.30pm at Kekkar, Honnavar and was supposed to leave Puttur at 2 pm. He received a call at that time and after that he used the gun on himself. We don’t know who called and what the communication between the victim and the caller was.

 

Dr Anand Venugopal, medical superintendent, KMC Hospitals, Mangalore said the victim succumbed to injuries at 6pm. "His entire left lung was shattered with the pellets," he said. The victim is survived by wife and two children. Sources in Puttur said there was a protest meet planned at Polya Venkatarama Temple by the devotees of seer on Sunday condemning the allegations.