Priest found dead at home

The highly decomposed body of a temple priest was found at his house in Wilson Garden on Wednesday morning.

Manjunath, 41, was living alone on the second floor of a three-storey building he owned at Jalakantheshwara Pura in Wilson Garden. He had rented out two shops on the ground floor and two houses.

Residents of the building alerted the police on noticing foul smell emanating from Manjunath’s house.

The Wilson Garden police rushed to the spot and broke open the door only to find the decomposed body of Manjunath lying on the floor near the bathroom. The residents of the building had seen him last on Saturday.

According to the police, Manjunath must have collapsed after coming out of the bathroom and died on the spot. Police suspect cardiac arrest to be the cause of the death and see no foul play in the case. The only door to the house was locked from inside and there is nothing to suggest even suicide.

Dowry harassment

Manjunath’s wife had committed suicide by setting herself ablaze in 2006. Manjunath and his parents were arrested for dowry harassment then.

While Manjunath’s parents have passed away, Manjunath had served a two-year jail term. He was living alone, in a portion of the building his family owned.

Sources say that after the death of his parents in close succession, Manjunath was depressed and believed that his wife had turned a ghost.

He was also a bharatanatyam dancer. Of late, he had become eccentric and was seen conducting pooja at his house even in the night.