Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jun 30: While it has been claimed that the death of man in Santosh Nagar on Friday last was caused by suicide, now suspicions have arisen about the cause of his death. It was said that Vasudeva Bhat (53), resident of Vamanjoor Paitakal Santosh Nagar, had ended his life by hanging himself in his house. However, a video of him being beaten up, which went viral after his death, has raised suspicions about the suicide theory.

Bhat used to come home drunk and pick up fight with family members and others regularly. Reportedly, he had fought with his neighbours on Friday too. Within sometime thereafter, Vasudeva Bhat reportedly went inside a room in his house, bolted the door from inside, and hanged himself, as per police version.

Bhat's wife works as a school teacher. She found about her husband''s suicide on returning home after duty hours on Friday. After she filed a complaint with the rural police station in the city, a case of suicide was registered.

Several locals have expressed suspicion about the suicide angle being given to the man''s death. It is said that video footage showing Bhat being beaten up after tying him up to a tree, had been making rounds in WhatsApp on Monday. Some claim that the locals had tethered him to a tree, and chilly powder was sprayed on his face, before thrashing him.

As many expressed suspicion about the death of Vasudeva Bhat, police visited Santosh Nagar on Monday evening, and questioned a few neighbours. ''During the questioning, some names have cropped up. As such, three persons have been summoned to be present in the station on Tuesday for interrogation,'' said rural police sub-inspector, Maddi.