UDUPI: In a major development with regard to the Shiroor seer’s suspicious death case, police have recovered the missing digital video recorder (DVR) device from a place near the river bank near Shiroor moola mutt on Wednesday morning.Police have sent the device to the forensic science laboratory, highly placed sources told Express. Meanwhile, the police suspected this to be the handiwork of one Iqbal, who is said to be a close friend of one woman with whom the deceased seer was in close contact. Iqbal has been questioned by the police on Wednesday, but the details have been kept secret by the police as revealing it would hamper the investigation, the investigating officer Shrikanth K said.
Sources said that after the death of Shiroor seer, the woman in question was given the accommodation by Iqbal at a house near Kaup in Udupi. Police reportedly questioned the woman again on Wednesday. It is is said Iqbal also knew Shiroor seer well and used to frequent the mutt. As police have not been able to ascertain the exact cause of death, there is no progress in the case investigation. Additional SP Kumara Chandra told Express that DVR was found and it is being checked whether the data is available from it or not as it was drenched partially.
Followers still mourning
The suspicious death of Sri Lakshmivara Theertha of Shiroor Mutt in Udupi has left the devotees and the followers of Shiroor Mutt in grief. Devotees are not able to believe the fact that their beloved seer who led an energetic life would leave them so soon.One devotee of Shiroor mutt told TNIE on Wednesday that the seer’s health was deteriorating in the last 5 months due to excessive consumption of alcohol.
Property deals gone wrong?
Sources also said that Shiroor Mutt owned property worth about `1,500 crore. But some of his business deals went awry and this might have depressed the seer, they said. Sources on Wednesday said that 10 pen drives and a laptop used by Shiroor seer have been been confiscated by the police on Wednesday. These items are helping the police in their investigation, sources said.
Kemaru seer says he got threat calls, to file plaint soon
Udupi: In relation to the suspicious death of Shiroor seer in Udupi, Kemaru Mutt Seer Sri Esha Vittala Dasa Swamiji who had sought a thorough investigation has now said that he has been receiving threat to his life on social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. He has decided to give a police complaint in this regard. Kemaru Seer said that he had met the Udupi SP Laxman Nimbargi and sought thorough investigation as Shiroor seer died under suspicious circumstances. Kemaru Seer who has already approached the police on Wednesday said that he has been getting the threat calls from past two days.