Karnataka: Poisoning suspected in Shiroor Mutt seer’s death

The press release by Manipal's Kasturba hospital stated that Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami of Shiroor Mutt died after consuming the poisonous substance. Toxicological samples had been sent for examination. Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami (55) passed away in Kasturba hospital on Thursday.

The seer was brought to Kasturba hospital at 1.05 AM from a private hospital in Udupi. He was declared dead at 8.05 AM on Thursday.

Devotees to approach superintendent of police demanding probe into seer's death. As per devotees, the seer was allegedly forced to consume poisoned food.

Earlier, Lakshmivara seer's lawyer Ravikiran Murdeshwar told a private channel that the Shirur mutt seer had mentioned about 'threat to his life'. He added the Seer had asked him to file a criminal complaint against six seers of Udupi Ashta (8) mutts. Shirur seer was planning to move the court to seek control over the main deity of mutt.

Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami of Shiroor Mutt in a press meet held on Monday said that he would file a criminal case over the issue of the seers of Ashta Mutts not returning the idols of the presiding deity of Shiroor Mutt to him.

Speaking to presspersons in Shiroor on July 17, the seer said he would file the case at an appropriate time and was confident of getting justice. He had given the idols of presiding deities of the Shiroor Mutt to the junior seer of Admar Mutt Ishapriya Tirtha Swami and urged him to keep them at the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple on account of his ill-health.

On his recovery, he sought the idols from the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple. But the seers of the six of the Ashta Mutts refused to give it, which was a breach of trust, he told reporters.