Shiroor seer ‘death’: Experts leave ‘cause of death’ section blank in autopsy report

Udupi, Jul 31: Even though the Kasturba Hospital of Manipal submitted the post-mortem report on the death of Lakshmivara Teertha Swami of Shiroor Mutt to the Udupi district on Monday, the experts have kept the “cause of death” section blank, which will be filled up only after reports from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL).

Sources in the Police Department said that the RFSL report would be available in four to six weeks.

Meanwhile, the police investigating the sensational death case are probing whether the seer was administered poison to save the image of Sri Krishna Mutt, a source privy to the developments said.

According to the source, police have added this as the fourth angle to the case. They have brushed aside all other possibilities for the time being, and are focusing on investigating if an external force administered the poison to the controversial seer.

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, said 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.