Spiritual leader commits suicide at math in Karnataka’s Raichur
Raichur : An incident of a 58-year-old religious seer committing suicide by hanging at his math on Friday has been reported in Raichur district of Karnataka, leaving the local people in a state of shock.
The deceased has been identified as Devendrappa Swamy (58), the pontiff of Jagadguru Shivananda Math at Bassapur (EJ) village in Sindhanur taluk of the district.
According to police, Devendrappa Swamy, who was reportedly suffering from depression, had established the math while still in government service. He was serving as the headmaster of the Government Higher Primary School in Mullur (EJ) village.
Over time, he developed a sense of detachment from worldly life and founded the math. After school hours, he would deliver religious discourses at the math in the evenings.
Originally hailing from Gulaguli village in Gajendragad of Gadag district, Devendrappa had been serving as a teacher in Sindhanur taluk for the past 20 years. He had been living away from his family, and the exact reason for his suicide is not yet known. However, devotees and villagers suspect depression as a possible cause.
His body was found hanging in the dining hall of the math. A case has been registered at Turvihal Police Station.
It can be recalled that in 2022, allegedly pained at his name being dragged into a sex scandal, Guru Madivaleshwara Mutt Pontiff Basava Siddalinga Swamiji committed suicide in his room by hanging in the Neginahala village of Karnataka’s Belagavi district.
The audio clip containing an alleged conversation between two women discussing how women and girls were exploited at Chitradurga mutt went viral on social media. The two women brought up the name of deceased Basava Siddalinga Swamiji in the discussion which cast aspersions on his reputation and honour, said police sources.
The seer, who ended his life, was pained with the development and devotees of the mutt had lodged a complaint with Deputy Superintendent of Police of Bylahongala in Belagavi district seeking action against vested interests who were targeting Lingayat pontiffs.