Udupi: Couple set themselves on fire over grief of childlessness

December 25, 2016

Udupi, Dec 25: In a tragic incident, a childless couple allegedly committed suicide by setting themselves ablaze at Hirgana village near Karkala in Udupi district.

Sitaram Acharya (55) and his wife Sunanda Acharya (45) were living in a house in a slightly isolated area at Hirgana village. The couple were childless but religious-minded.

According to the Karkala Town Police, inability to produce children might have prompted the couple to commit suicide by immolating themselves in a room of their house.

It appeared to be a planned act. The incident had taken place between 1.30 p.m. on December 22 and 7 a.m. on December 24. N.N. Ravi, Sub-Inspector of Karkala Town Police Station, said that the incident of suicide must have taken place two days ago as they had found only ash and bones.

A lot of camphor, incense sticks and sandalwood pieces were found in the room (“Devara Kone”) where they immolated themselves. According to the neighbours, the couple had stored a lot of wooden logs in the house, which were now missing, he said.

The incident came to light after a neighbour went to the house at around 9 a.m. on Saturday and found that the clay roof tiles of a portion of the house had been burnt. Both the front and rear doors of the house were locked from inside. The locals later broke the doors open.

Though there were two houses in the area, they were located some distance away from Acharya's house. The people of the nearest house had gone away for two days, when the incident took place. The locals had last seen the couple on December 22.

“No note was recovered from the house. Experts from the Forensic Department visited the spot,” Mr. Ravi said. To a query, Mr. Ravi said that it could not be said with absolute certainty that the couple had taken the extreme step because they were childless.

A case of unnatural death under Section 174 of Criminal Procedure Code was registered at the Karkala Town Police Station. Investigation is on, the police said.

Comments

I really love your website.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you make this web
site yourself? Please reply back as I'm wanting to create my own website and
want to find out where you got this from or
what the theme is named. Appreciate it!

Also visit my weblog; Frank: http://www.yahoo.net

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Post-Sabarimala pilgrimage drinking party turns fatal in Udupi; youth killed in midnight brawl

News Network

December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

Comments