Shiroor case: Cause of death withheld in autopsy report

Shiroor case: Cause of death withheld in autopsy report

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 31 2018: The post-mortem report on the death of Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami of Shiroor Mutt has been submitted by the Kasturba Hospital to the district police, with the final cause of death kept pending until receipt of the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) report. Sources in the Police Department said here on July 30,  Monday that the RFSL report would be available in four to six weeks. It may be recalled that the Shiroor seer had passed away on July 19 at the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal.

The press statement issued by the Kasturba Hospital on the seer’s death, the same day had said that there was “suspicion of poisoning” and the toxicological samples had been sent for test.

  Meanwhile, the ‘Aradhane’ ceremony of Lakshivara Tirtha Swami, which should have been held on July 31 (Tuesday) at the ‘vrindavana’ near the ‘moola mutt’ in Shiroor village, about 22 km from Udupi, had been postponed till the police completed their investigations there.

The police have been conducting investigations at the ‘moola mutt’ ever since the Shiroor seer passed away.

Laxman Nimbargi, Superintendent of Police, told The Hindu that the police had requested the Sode Mutt for the possession of the ‘moola mutt’ for some more days as the investigations were still being done there. The Sode Mutt had agreed to the request, he said. The performance of the ‘Aradhane’ would have led to an invitation for over 1,000 devotees for meals at the ‘moola mutt,’ which would have caused problems for the investigations, hence a request was made to the Sode Mutt, the police said.