HYDERABAD: Telugu film industry was into a rude shock as the news about the suicide of versatile actor Ranganath unfolded here on Saturday. The 66-year old was found hanging at his Gandhi Nagar residence near Kavadiguda by daughter Neeraja who lives with her family a stone’s throw away. Police have registered a case of suspicious death under 174 CrPC.
According to Police, Ranganath’s maid servant Meenakshi informed Neeraja about her inability to come for duty on Saturday evening. Following this, Neeraja went to Ranganath’s rented residence to clean up the premises.
As there was no response to repeated knocks, she grew suspicious and broke open the door with the help of others to find her father hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen. The clues team and local police reached the spot and shifted his body to Gandhi hospital for postmortem examination. Though Police could not find any suicide note, they came across SMS message sent by Ranganath, bidding ‘Goodbye’ to a few friends.
On the walls of the kitchen, it was written “Meenakshi Bank (AB) deposit” and in Telugu, “Bonds are in the bureau-hand it over to her”. Police believe that it suggested that his fixed deposit in Andhra Bank should be handed over to the maid. Further, it was written “destiny” and also “Dont trouble her”. Sources said that prima facie it appears a suicide but samples would be sent to the forensic sciences lab. According to Police, Ranganath used to live alone at the house after the demise of his wife Chaitanya in 2009. Tirumala Sudara Sri Ranganath made his acting debut in 1969 with Buddhimantudu. In his 46-years long career, Ranganath acted in nearly 300 films. Some of his notable films include Intinti Ramayanam, Khaidi, Kalisundam Raa, Teen Deewarein, Manmadhudu, Nijam etc.