Questions raised over slow pace of probe into Shiroor seer’s death

coastaldigest.com news network
August 19, 2018

Udupi, Aug 19: The speakers at a public condolence meet for late Sri Lakshmivar Theertha Swami of Shiroor Mutt held on Saturday at Mathura Chathra near Sri Krishna temple in Udupi expressed dissatisfaction over the police probe into the suspicious death case.

The Shiroor seer died on July 19 at the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal. The hospital had said that that there was “suspicion of poisoning” and that toxicological samples had been sent for testing.

The district police received the post-mortem report from the hospital about three weeks ago, which stated that the final cause of death had been kept pending for the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory report which is still awaited.

Esha Vavittala Dasa Swami of Kemar Mutt said that the kin of the departed seer should lodge a murder complaint regarding his death.

He said suspicions about the Shiroor seer’s death were raised after the statement issued by the hospital. The ‘aradhane’ ritual, which should be have been held after 13 days of the seer’s death, should be held immediately, he said.

Ravikiran Murudeshwar, Shiroor seer’s advocate, demanded to know the delay in getting the RFSL report. “There is a serious issue. No one from the mutt has filed complaint in this case. I really don’t understand for the unprecedented delay in getting the RFSL report. There are chances of destroying the evidence,” he said.

Vadiraja Acharya, Shiroor seer’s ‘purvashrama’ brother, said he was saddened that barring Vidyadheesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Palimar Mutt, the other seers of the ‘Ashta Mutts’ had avoided the Shiroor seer immediately after his death.

After the condolence meeting, a silent procession was taken out on Car Street.Some people objected to the main door of Shiroor Mutt being closed during the offering of tributes. But Radhakrishna Shetty, Samiti president, said that the representatives of Sode Mutt, which was in charge of Shiroor Mutt, had given permission only for paying tributes outside.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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