Why The Silence? Sandalwood Stars Mum On Renuka Swamy's Murder By Darshan's Aides

There has been widespread outrage in Karnataka, particularly in Chitradurga, following the murder of Renuka Swamy allegedly by Darshan's associates. Both traditional and social media platforms have been flooded with condemnation over the killing of an ordinary citizen, purportedly in retaliation for sending an obscene message to Darshan's friend, Pavithra Gowda.

Renuka Swamy was abducted from Chitradurga on Saturday and taken to Bengaluru, where he was brutally murdered in a shed. His body was later discovered dumped in a drainage in Kamakshi Palya on Sunday. Initially, Darshan's aides claimed the murder was over a financial dispute, but police later linked Darshan and Pavithra Gowda to the crime, identifying them as accused number 2 and 1, respectively.

The Kannada media has vehemently criticized Darshan, with the public demanding severe punishment for the actor, popularly known as the Challenging Star. Despite the widespread outrage, notable Kannada stars and actors have refrained from commenting on the issue.

On Wednesday, Dhruva Sarja was seen at an event but remained silent when asked about the ongoing developments. Similarly, senior actor Malavika Avinash, Karnataka BJP Vice President, and her husband chose not to respond to questions regarding Darshan's arrest, politely avoiding media inquiries.

However, the only response and the first reaction came to the incident from actress Ramya aka Divya Spandana. She reacted to the incident by retweeting a post which claims that Darshan would be imprisoned for life.

The post read: "Under Section 302, Actor #Darshan is most likely to either get life imprisonment or a sentence. Any other outcome would be a case of money influence & mockery of Indian Law System. Hope the victim gets the justice he deserves."

Meanwhile, actor Jaggesh posted a cryptic message on his social media account, implying the consequences of one's actions and the importance of humility.

In a post on X, he said, "In the essence of self lies Brahma, and divinity resides within every living being. Life holds no entitlement to take another's. Karma inevitably follows, and one's sins will ultimately consume them.

In Kali Yuga, God is not confined to stone; every action yields immediate consequences. Embrace the virtues of Rama, for the path of arrogance, like that of Ravana, leads only to destruction. Arrogance blinds one to the essence of compassion."

Veteran actress Umashri has seemingly come to Darshan's defense, urging for patience until the investigation concludes. In contrast, senior producer Sa Ra Govindu condemned the incident and emphasized the importance of public conduct among actors, drawing examples from legendary figures like Dr. Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, and Ambareesh.

However, apart from Govindu, Sandalwood stars including Shivaraj Kumar, Sudeep, Yash and Upendra, have maintained stoic silence over the incident. Even Rashmika Mandanna, known for her vocal support on various issues, has remained tight-lipped, raising questions about the credibility of film stars who often portray themselves as champions of public causes on screen.