The seer of Kunchagal Bande mutt in Ramanagaram in Karnataka, who was found hanging on Monday October 24 morning, allegedly ended his life over ‘blackmail’, police said.
Police have found a couple of pages of a note by the seer in which he is said to have accused some people of ‘harassing and blackmailing’ him.
Sri Basavalingeshwara swami, head of the mutt in Kempupura of Magadi taluk in Ramanagaram district, which has a history of more than 400 years, was found hanging from a window grill of the puja house in the mutt’s premises.
The seer, who had taken over the reins of the mutt in 1997, had presided over the silver jubilee as the chief priest, a few months ago.
According to sources, alarmed by the puja room door remaining shut till six in the morning, which was unusual as the seer used to wake up by 4 a.m. for puja and kept the doors open, and him not responding to knocks or phone calls, the mutt’s staff checked from the rear and found him hanging. They subsequently informed the police.
Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide.
According to police sources, a couple of pages of a note were found in which he has accused some people of harassing and blackmailing him.
Police, however, refused to divulge details and names saying that an investigation is under way.
