Shiroor mutt seer passes away, poisoning suspected

The head of Udupi-based Shiroor mutt Sri Laxmivara Teertha Swamiji died on Thursday at a private hospital at Manipal , doctors said, adding there is suspicion of poisoning.

"There is suspicion of poisoning and toxicological samples have been sent. However, his condition continued to deteriorate rapidly in spite of the best efforts of the medical team," they said.

The 54-year old pontiff was admitted to KMC Hospital in Manipal in the neighbouring Udupi district after he vomitted blood and complained of breathlessness on Wednesday, the mutt sources said.

The hospital said the seer was found to be critically ill with breathlessness, severe hypotension and massive gastrointestinal bleeding when he was brought and that he had history of diarrhoea prior to this episode.

A team of doctors provided medical care in the form of ventilator support, blood transfusion and dialysis but his condition deteriorated rapidly and he was declared dead, the hospital said.

KMC medical superintendent Dr Avinash Shetty said as per norms, the hospital had informed the police about the seer's death and 'the post-mortem report will reveal the
facts'.

In Bengaluru, asked about suspicion being raised about the circumstances surrounding the death, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said, "If there are suspicions and if there is need to conduct an inquiry, it will be looked into."

Expressing grief over the Swamiji's death, Kumaraswamy said it was a loss to the society and he had died at a young age.

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister G Parameshwara said: "Many have expressed suspicion about Swamiji's death. If there is a need to conduct an inquiry we will do it. At the present situation no one has come to us on this."

"There are only talks that are happening, if there is a need we will do it," he added.

The seer was at the centre of a controversy recently after he expressed desire to contest the state assembly polls in May as an independent candidate or from the Bharatiya Janata Party, if he was offered the ticket, but later said he had dropped his plans to jump into the electoral fray.

Shiroor Matha (institute) is one among the Ashta Mathas of Udupi, which were established by 13th century philosopher, Madhwacharya, who founded the Dvaita (dualism) school of Vedanta.

Madhwacharya appointed eight of his direct disciples as head of each Matha that were established in eight villages around the Udupi Krishna Temple.

During the Paryaya, a religious ritual that takes place every alternate year, the puja and administration of Krishna Matha is distributed among the swamijis of Ashta Mathas.