Akshath Rao, the younger brother of Aditya Rao who has claimed responsibility for planting a bag with explosives at the Mangaluru International Airport, said on Wednesday that the family members had kept him away for more than two years.
Mr. Akshath Rao stays with his father in an apartment in Mangaluru. Mr. Akshath Rao, who works in a public sector bank, said he and his family members did not know anything about Aditya’s activities. “We do not have any contact with him. We are not responsible for what he has done. My father and I have kept away from him. I am earning my livelihood. My father tried to correct him, but failed. We have not supported him in any way; not even in getting out on bail [following his arrest by the Bengaluru police in 2018],” he said.
Aditya, a bachelor, had done B.E. and MBA and details of his academic records had been given to the police, Mr. Akshath Rao said.
In Manipal, neighbours hardly knew about Aditya whose family used to live in a house at the HUDCO Colony opposite the picturesque Mannu Palla lake. According to them the family shifted to Mangaluru about eight months ago. The house was deserted, with only a motorcycle parked outside.
Poornima Bhojaraju, former secretary of the HUDCO Colony Society, told The Hindu that Aditya’s father, B. Krishna Murthy Rao, was an ex-bank officer. Mr. Krishna Murthy Rao and his wife lived in Manipal for about 20 years and shifted to Mangaluru after the latter expired. “They were a nice couple. Mr. Krishna Murthy Rao’s wife was not keeping well. She was into gardening and had planted medicinal plants around Mannu Palla lake,” Ms. Bhojaraju said.
Divya Kini, who stays in an apartment next to Mr. Krishna Murthy Rao’s former house, said she did not know Aditya. But Mr. Krishna Murthy Rao and his wife, who passed away in 2018, were nice persons and they used to keep to themselves.
