Mystery surrounds death of seer

A land row is suspected to be behind the killing.

According to Gurusiddappa, a close associate of the seer, the Swamiji was missing from his room in the early hours and he thought he might have gone out for a stroll.

Soon, he found the seer’s burnt body amid maize crop stored in the mutt premises. The body was identified from a portion of the leg.

Some villagers of Shiramalli had moved court several years ago demanding a share in the 18 acres of agricultural land belonging to the mutt.

The Court gave its verdict in favour of the mutt.

The Swamiji’s request to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for a Rs 10 lakh aid to construct a prayer hall in the mutt, had also been granted and orders issued for the release of a portion of the amount in the first phase, it is said.

The local people, especially the devotees of the mutt, allege that the Swamiji may have been murdered owing to the land row.

A native of Nellikatte village in Jagalur taluk in Chitradurga district, Basavaraja Swamiji joined the mutt at the age of 16 in 1954. He succeeded Murugi Swamiji the following year after the latter’s death.

The last rites were performed after the post-mortem. Seers from several mutts in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts participated in the final rites. A case has been registered at Hullahalli police station.