Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Feb 6: A man whose love affair had made headlines in the state over two decades ago allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a well in the premises of his house at Moodubage, Amparu here on Tuesday February 6.
The deceased, Bhasker Kothari (47), had made news 26 years ago across the state for falling in love with a girl from another community.
Bhasker Kothari, an alcoholic, had reduced drinking lately as he fell sick. However, he went into depression as his sickness became acute.
The house warming programme of his younger brother Diwaker was held on Tuesday. As Bhasker was not seen in the programme, the family members started looking out for him. They did not find him in the vicinity and went to the well and found that the rope of the pulley used for drawing water had broken. Locals grew suspicious about it and contacted expert diver Manjunath.
Manjunath got into the well and found the Bhasker's body in the well. As the house warming programme was in progress, the locals waited for some time and disclosed the information after the programme.
Bhasker's wife Asha did not know that her husband had committed suicide till the programme got over. She only knew that he was missing.
Manjunath lifted the dead body after the arrival of police. The family members were later informed about the tragedy.
Controversial love affair
Bhasker and Asha's love affair and marriage had brought about shoot at sight orders and curfew in Kundapur back in 1992. Bhasker had fallen in love with Manavar (who later became Asha), a girl belonging to another community. Soon after Manavar's family came to know about it, Bhasker fled. Meanwhile, there was news that people of the other community allegedly killed him. Munavar too went missing soon afterwards. A tense situation prevailed on both the sides. Several acres of farming land belonging to a businessman in Kandlur was completely destroyed during this incident.
Police led by Dalagar who was in Mangaluru and was DySP in Kundapur traced the couple and brought them back. The police convinced the people of both the communities and conducted their wedding in Narayana Guru auditorium, Kundapur in February 1992. Elders say that the incident gave rise to communal violence in Kundapur which was otherwise quiet.
Their married life was not peaceful though. Manavar’s name was changed to Asha after the wedding. Bhasker could not shoulder the responsibility of married life as he was an alcoholic. Asha used to roll beedies for their living. Though they did not have children for some time, a girl child was born to them six years ago.
Shankernarayana station police conducted investigations and have registered a case of unnatural death.