Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 21: Manikanthan (26), a resident of Kodikal in the city, died under suspicious circumstances on the night of Wednesday October 19. He was married, and stayed at Kodikal with his wife, Vishalakshi.

Manikanthan's body was found hanging from a tree by the side of his home at around 10 pm on Wednesday. His family members have complained that he has been murdered. They said they saw wounds on Manikanthan's face, inflicted with the help of a blade. His wife and her family members however, claimed that he had committed suicide.

Manikanthan, who was from Kavoor here, had married Vishalakshi, and used to stay in his wife’s parental home in Kodikal, since the last three years. He was working in the packing section of a firm in City Centre Mall on K S Rao Road in the city. Vishalakshi is a Tamilian, and belongs to scheduled caste, and theirs was an inter-caste marriage. Manikanthan came in contact with Vishalakshi when he was working as a labourer four years ago.

It is learnt that Manikanthan had bagged a job at the mall about a year back. The couple do not have any offspring. It is gathered that Manikanthan used to come home drunk at night, fight with his wife for minor reasons, and used to harass her in various ways.

The personnel at Urwa police station, where a complaint has been lodged, said that they will get leads about the cause of the youth's death upon receipt of post mortem report. Arrangements have been made to conduct post mortem of Manikanthan's body by two doctors, and the report may be received by next week, they added.