Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jan 31: Satish Prabhu (49), who had been operating an auto rickshaw in Shirur in the taluk since the last three decades, and his mother, Rukmini (75), both residents of Aramana Haklu in Shirur, committed suicide on Monday January 30, frustrated over family quarrels.

Rukmini’s three sons including Satish, fought with each other frequently. They also had filed complaints and counter-complaints against each other in Byndoor police station. On Monday morning, a furious fight had broken out between Satish’s mother and his wife. Disturbed over this development, Rukmini jumped into a well near her home, and committed suicide. Although people from neighbouring houses rushed to the spot and tried to save her life, Rukini had breathed her last before she could be rescued.

The brothers of Prabhu, who came back to the house after learning about the incident, accused Satish Prabhu of killing his mother, and threatened to file a complaint of murder against him in the police station. Distraught over this unexpected development, Prabhu went away. Within a few minutes, he hanged himself from a cashew tree located in a desolate area.

Satish Prabhu, who was operating rickshaw in the region since 30 years, was very popular with the people because of careful driving and gentle manners. He frequently volunteered to do social service, and had been felicitated for accident-free driving. It is learnt that before leaving the house on Monday, he had said that he would commit suicide, but no one took him seriously. Some neighbours had taken away the key of the rickshaw, fearing that he might end his life, but he had taken back the key, promising not to do anything wrong.

As soon as the news of Prabhu’s death spread, rickshaw drivers of Shirur Kelapete, Market and Tudalli stopped operating their vehicles, and paid tributes to him.