Karwar: Death of Kaiga Scientist - Many Questions remain Unanswered
Daijiworld Media Network - Karwar (SP)
Karwar, Jun 15: The body of L Mahalingam, who was working as scientific officer in Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant before he went missing all of a sudden, was recovered on Saturday June 13 in River Kali. The post mortem report is awaited. The fact that he went missing for a few days suddenly, gave rise to a furor all over, before his body was found in the river. Doubts that had arisen about his disappearance remain unanswered as on date, and a few more questions arose after his body was found.
Mahalingam, who used to go for a morning stroll daily, had also ventured out of his home on June 8. As he did not return till the afternoon, his wife Vinayagasundari filed a police complaint, based on which the police department formed separate teams to search for him. The policemen, worried at not finding him after a reasonable search, reportedly even visited Puttaparti, Annanagar in Chennai, Tirupati etc., on the suspicion that Mahalingam, who was very much inclined towards spirituality, would have gone to these centres of faith, to get mental peace. The recovery of the partly decomposed body of Mahalingam in the river on the rear side of Nisarga Guest House in Kadra near here, affectively put an end to the efforts of the police department.
Many who knew Mahalingam, identified the body as that of the missing scientist, but the fact that one of his brothers entered into an argument with the policemen, claiming that the body in question was not that of Mahalingam, raised many eyebrows. This incident gave rise to some speculations and doubts in the minds of the people. The doubts were cleared after Mahalingam's wife identified the mortal remains and confirmed the same in writing to the policemen. The doctors on the face of it, guess this to be a case of suicide. As the brother of Mahalingam insisted that the body of the scientist should be subjected to forensic tests to prove its identity, viscera, portions of his skin and brain are said to have been sent to the forensic laboratory for conducting tests. Samples of hair, nails and teeth were also sent to the forensic laboratory for DNA tests as demanded by the brother of the deceased, for establishing the identity beyond doubts.
Relatives of Malaingam, who are stationed in Chennai, reached Mallapur after 6 pm on Sunday. Post mortem examination of the body had been conducted on Saturday itself and the funeral of the scientist was conducted after taking his body in a procession in Kaiga Township at around 6.30 pm on Sunday.
Now, reasons for Mahalingam's death remain to be ascertained. Top police officials said on Saturday, that definite information about this death would be made known within three days. As such, one hopes to get clear information about his death and also whether it was a case of suicide, accident or murder, before Tuesday June 16.