Belagavi: Allegedly pained at his name being dragged into an audio linked to Murugha seer case, Guru Madivaleshwara Matha Basava Siddalinga Swamiji resorted to suicide in his room by hanging himself on Monday September 5. Agonised by this, the devotees of the matha are staging a flash protest demanding legal action and arrest of two women who spoke about deceased swamiji in a demeaning manner in the alleged audio clip.
The devotees are not allowing the police to take the dead body of the swamiji. It is alleged that one from Managundi village in Dharwad and other from Gangavathi in Koppala District are the women whose conversation has been leaked to social media.
The audio clip containing an alleged conversation between the two women discussing how women and girls were exploited at Chitradurga matha went viral on social media. The two women bring up the name of deceased Basava Siddalinga Swamiji in the discussion which has cast aspersions on his reputation and honour, explained police sources.
The seer, who ended his life, was pained with the development, and devotees of the matha had lodged a complaint with Deputy Superintendent of Police of Bylahongala in the District seeking action against vested interests who are targeting Lingayat pontiffs.
The police explain that Basava Siddalinga Swamiji was talking to devotees till late night on Sunday September 4. He told his devotees that he was pained that his reference was made in a demeaning way in the purported audio and he is not feeling like living anymore.
The incident came to light on Monday morning. The police have got the death note of the swamiji. The deceased swamiji had written, “I have not committed any mistake. I am responsible for my death. There is no necessity to investigate anyone. I am fed up with this world.”
“My mother, please pardon me. The devotees of the matha should pardon me. I am going to Madivaleshwara (god). The committee of the matha and devotees should take charge of the matha,” he wrote in the note.
Further investigation is on.
