Police officials investigating the death of Lakshmivara Theertha, the chief seer of Shiroor Mutt in Udupi's Shri Krishna Temple, have managed to recover one of the two digital video recorders (DVR) of the CCTV cameras in Shiroor mutt that had gone missing.
Police sources claimed that officials are still looking for the other DVR. The missing DVRs of CCTV footage are from the day Lakshmivara was first admitted in the hospital.
The source also claimed that the DVRs were recovered from the Swarna River on Tuesday morning with the help of divers.
The reports emerged even as police officials continued to deny that the DVRs went missing. Police have cordoned off the Shiroor mutt premises and have also confiscated several items from the mutt, including a half-empty bottle of an energy drink that the seer reportedly drank every day.
While no arrests have been made in the case, police have questioned several people in the last few days including a woman reportedly close to the seer.
Ramya Shetty, a resident of Udupi, was stopped by police at Venoor police station in Dakshina Kannada as she was trying to escape undetected in a burqa, along with four other associates at Aladangady in Belthangady taluk of the district. She is currently under police observation in Udupi.
Arun Chakravarthy, IGP (Western Range) has also visited Shiroor Mutt and the 'Moola' Mutt near Hiriadka.
The police swung into action after hospital authorities at Kasturba Hospital informed them just hours after the death of the seer that Lakshmivara may have been poisoned. A complaint has been filed by Lakshmivara's brother Lathavya Acharya at Hiriadka police station.
The complete toxicology report is expected to clarify whether the seer was actually poisoned. However, that has not stopped rampant speculation in Udupi about the death of the seer, who had made a name for himself for his ‘lavish’ lifestyle, including his passion for swimming, collecting antiques, or his expertise in musical instruments.