Niranjan Bhat, a priest and one of the accused in the murder of Bhaskar Shetty, a businessman, attempted suicide by consuming his ring and a pair of earrings. He is now under observation at the District Government Hospital here.
Bhat was arrested on August 8 at Nitte in Udupi district in the evening on August 8. S.V. Girish, Inspector at Manipal police station, told The Hindu on Tuesday that after his arrest, Bhat was brought to the Manipal police station, when he complained of stomach ache and revealed that he had consumed his gold ring studded with a diamond and a pair of earrings. “He said that he had consumed them when he was in Bengaluru on August 7,” he said.
The police rushed him to the District Government Hospital here, where an x-ray was taken. Sources in the hospital said that they found the ring and earrings in his intestine. “It has to come out naturally. We will have to wait till then. He is under observation,” said a doctor, who did not wish to be named.
Bhaskar Shetty (52), a businessman from Udupi, went missing on July 28. His mother Gulabi Shetty lodged a missing complaint at Manipal police station on July 29.
Shetty had strained relations with his wife Rajeshwari (46) and son Navneet (20) over property issues. Things took a dramatic turn, when Shetty’s relative Joggu Shetty accused Rajeshwari, Navneet and Niranjan of being involved in his (Bhaskar Shetty’s) murder.
The police arrested Shetty’s wife Rajeshwari and his son Navneet on the charge of murdering Bhaskar Shetty and trying to destroy evidence on August 7. Bhat, who was close to Rajeshwari and Navneet, is said to have taken part in disposing off Bhaskar Shetty’s body. But so far, the police have not recovered Shetty’s body.
Meanwhile, the police, who were expected to produce Bhat before the court at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, have now decided to produce him in the evening after he is discharged from the hospital.
