HUBBALLI: Chandrashekhar Guruji (57) of Sarala Vastu fame was stabbed to death by two assailants in the lobby of a hotel in Hubballi on Tuesday afternoon. Immediately after the murder, the two assailants fled the hotel in a car. The stabbing incident stunned the hotel staff and a large number of customers, who had come for lunch at the popular hotel on Old Pune-Bengaluru Highway.
Guruji, who was from Bhatkal, was staying at the hotel for the last two days. He was here to attend a family function and the murderers knew about it. The police managed to catch the fleeing duo near Ramdurg of Belagavi district just four hours after the incident.
The police identified them as Mahantesh Shirur and Manjunath Marewad, former employees of Guruji. Guruji was a wellknown vastu expert across the state and was a regular on several Kannada TV channels, hosting programmes related to the ancient architectural discipline. It is said he was also involved in real estate business in different parts of the state.
Killers disguised as bhakts
Eyewitnesses said the assailants came in the guise of seeking blessings from Guruji at the hotel lobby. Once near him, they lunged at him, brought him to the ground and started stabbing him furiously and repeatedly, even as Guruji was flailing his arms and legs, as seen from the hotel CCTV cameras. Guruji was shifted to KIMS hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Labhu Ram visited the hotel along with senior police officials. “The two accused were caught based on the CCTV footage. Their vehicle registration number was recorded and they were arrested in cooperation with Belagavi police,” the officer said. “We have launched the investigation and are questioning a few people. Once the probe is over, the motive behind the murder will be known,” he added.
Belagavi DySP Ramanagouda Hatti said police officers intercepted the car of the accused near Ramdurg and arrested them. Sources said the two accused were working for Guruji for sometime and were his trusted employees.
In 2019, Guruji had helped another employee Vanajakshi tie the knot with Mahantesh Shirur. He had also given the couple a flat to stay in. After Mahantesh quit his job, Guruji was said to have asked the couple to return the flat, which led to a conflict, the sources added.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed shock over the brutal murder of Guruji and assured his family and followers that all steps will be taken to ensure stringent punishment for killers. He told reporters in Bengaluru that Guruji’s killing was a heinous and unfortunate act.