Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Aug 10: Rajeshwari, wife of slain Bhaskar Shetty, belongs to a well-known Bunt family from Padubidri. It is gathered however that she grew as a tomboyish girl with burning desire to become rich and famous.
Rajeshwari was one among five girls born to a poor family. She studied up to degree, and had always been driven by the desire to become rich and famous since young. Because of her stubborn attitude and uncompromising nature, she faced friction and dislike from within her own family and relatives. With her involvement with a heinous crime now, she is facing censure and hatred from her own community.
Rajeshwari, it is said, happens to be an ardent devotee of Goddess Devi and often visited the temple to pay obeisance. It is learnt that a woman who visited the temple at night after Bhaskar Shetty went missing had removed the Mangalya chain worn around her neck, which depicts marital status, in front of the idol. There is information that this lady looked like Rajeshwari. Someone had observed this, and after Rajeshwari's photos appeared in newspapers, the person revealed that he was there when this incident happened, it is said.
At the same time, Niranjan Bhat generally came off as a soft-spoken individual who readily helped others. In college,, he was into everything from altruism, literature, mimicry, fine arts, NSS, to Yakshagana. As he was always involved with one or the other extra curricular activities, he always got noticed.
A person who was studying in college when Niranjan was there, recollects that Bhat was ahead in organizing camps and festivals. Even when studying, he had opened call centre at Nandalike, which showed his positive attitude towards life, he stated.
People of his village also have good opinion about him. As he had interest in films and drama, he knew many people in Tulu movie field. When pursuing undergraduate degree course, he was known more for his involvement with other activities. However, he was not good at studies, and could not complete his degree education.
People recollect that Niranjan, till recently, was seen performing puja at some temples, but apparently he was not well-versed with puja formalities. No one is sure what he did during his spare time of late. His father himself had confessed with others that his son was not adept at performing puja and other procedures. People in his neighbourhood were surprised when he changed his looks from traditional to modern.
It is said that Niranjan came close to Rajeshwari when the latter approached him seeking some solution for her sickness. He had performed certain religious procedures and thereafter they came closer, it is gathered. General opinion is that he would have been lured or forced into doing wrong things as he was generally good at heart.
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