JOIN USExcise officer Ananthu wasn't second time lucky
Ananthu and his family members were just returning from Tamil Nadu in a car, when they witnessed hightides gushing towards the roads swallowing everything in sight. It was later known as tsunami that destroyed parts of that State.
Ananthu died of respiratory problems, while being airlifted to a hospital in Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, that recently witnessed flash floods owing to cloudburst. Ananthu was deeply spiritual and was closely associated with Art of Living Foundation. He was also in the coterie of Sri Sri Sri Ravishankar Guruji, said an officer on condition of anonymity. He had applied for 17 days leave from August 1 and had summoned Deputy Commissioner of Excise, Dr Y Manjunath to his office. “It was on July 30, he had called me only to say he was happy that his leave was sanctioned and will be leaving on pilgrimage. He was due to retire in three years,” said Manjunath.
Ananthu couple was known for their strong faith in god and often visited places of spiritual importance, recalled his landlord Sridhar Murthy, a retired bank manager.
The couple were staying at a rented place on the first floor of a house on Udayaravi road in Kuvempunagar. Murthy who resides in the ground floor termed his tenant’s death as ‘shocking’ when this reporter went to the house. “He had come to me a few days before leaving for Leh and expressed desire to speak a few words. Soon after the media report about cloudburst in Leh on Friday last, I had contacted his office and they said that the officer (Ananthu) had called to inform about his safety.
However, whenever I was watching the news on TV, I was worried about the couple’s safety”, Murthy said on a poignant note.
The couple regularly undertook pilgrimage trips, and had covered several places, Murthy’s wife Shantha said.