Suicide or Murder : Mystery Continues to Shroud MLA's Wife Padmapriya's Death

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Updates at 9.15am, Jun 16

Daijiworld gets some crucial leads :

• The flat at Kshama Apartment Delhi was booked on May 28, 2008, just three days after election results were declared.
• Atul Rao and Padmapriya had fled to Delhi via Goa after abandoning her car near Kunjarugiri.
• After reaching Goa by road, they had taken a flight to Delhi.
• Atul came back, and acted like helping Bhat in the rescue operations in all earnestness.
• The police got scent of his activities after they checked up the mobile records and found that Atul and Padmapriya were in close contact. Following the clues, the police reached Delhi.
• State home minister V S Acharya, who was in Delhi to participate in a meeting of state chief ministers convened there as a representative of the state, was informedof the developments.
• Bhat was summoned to Delhi.
• By the time the police and others reached her flat, Padmapriya got to know that her whereabouts were traced, and believed that she chose to commit suicide.

Mangalore, Jun 16: The Mangalore police have now come out with the fact that the episode was not a case of abduction, after the death of Padmapriya.

Close family sources informed that, relation between MLA and his wife was not so well during past few months and things had reached such a pass, that she felt continuing to live with Bhat was impossible, and ran away, duly helped by Atul Rao and Dayanand, ex-driver of Bhat who now works as a driver of a car belonging to a rival party leader.

Her parents, siblings, close ones and in-laws are unable to believe that she could commit suicide. She was a strong personality and close to the hearts of every one of them.

After completing SSLC through Narayana Guru English Medium High School Mulki and  pre university education at Vijaya College Mulki, Padmapriya joined for B Com course at Vijaya College Mulki. As she got married while in college, she continued her education and completed the degree at M G M College Udupi. Her teachers remember her to be a disciplined and bold personality who was very good in academics.

She also excelled in athletics and sports. She has a younger sister named Radhika and two younger brothers, out of whom Rajashekhar runs Bhat's Hiranya Finance branch at Davangere. The other brother Sudarshan is pursuing his engineering education at a college in Mangalore.  Both her children, Rahul(10) and Rohan(7) are students of Little Rock Indian School Brahmavar. Padmapriya also enjoyed her role as a caring daughter in law of her in laws. Sudarshan expressed his shock at the death of her sister as he reiterated that she was strong enough to withstand problems and come out of them.

It is being claimed now, that the police sources had concocted the story of their rescue operations at Malur, to ensure that Padmapriya does not get alerted by the information that the police had come to know of her whereabouts and shift base elsewhere.  The fact that she did not receive calls made to her since Sunday morning made the concerned grow suspicious. Th doors of the flat where her body was found, was brokenopen in the presence of Raghupathi Bhat, his brother and sister in law, ex MLA Sunil Kumar and the younger brother of Padmapriya.

Atul Rao

The superintendent of police has stated that they have taken Atul Rao into custody for inquiry. The fact that efforts were made to hoodwink the concerned by deserting the car at an isolated place, various theories had made about her disappearance like abduction by naxals or by business rivals, and different stories floated about her rescue and the fact that this is the first such instance in the twin districts, has made people discuss the issue at their homes and offices, and take pity on Padmapriya.

As most people knew, she was a disciplined girl, supported her husband in his political ambitions and shares his success, was a hard working lady and a lovable person overall.She also was running the finance business when Bhat was busy with his political career.

The police and on a higher scale, the media ate the humble pie in getting hold of actual facts. Every piece of information received either telephonic or verbal, was gobbled up as truth. Padmapriya's brother Rajsehkhar has alleged that Atul Rao is responsible for the death of his sister. Udupi superintendent of police Devajyothi Roy has said that the police have not yet got conclusive evidence to prove her death as either suicide or murder. A decison can be arrived at only after the post mortem reports are received, he has said.

She was known to be a kind person

Udupi, Jun 16: Padmapriya Bhat, wife of Udupi MLA K. Raghupati Bhat, who is said to have committed suicide in New Delhi, hailed from Karnad near Mulky in Dakshina Kannada district. She was born to Damodar Rao and Prema Rao in 1977.

The director of Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai Samshodhana Kendra Heranje, Krishna Bhat, a former professor at the college, said, “Padmapriya was a decent and disciplined girl. Though I did not teach her, she used to wish me whenever she met me. I am saddened to learn of her death.”

Padmapriya Bhat was the eldest child. Of her two brothers, one is pursuing BE while the other is employed in a finance company in Davangere. Her sister is pursuing BBM at Vijaya College.

Padmapriya Bhat was known to be a kind person. She reportedly used to take poor and sick patients to the district hospital for treatment. A doctor at the hospital, who did not wish to be identified, said, “Even though she was a MLA’s wife she was polite. She never threw her weight around.”

It was the Mulky police who brought the news of the death of Padmapriya Bhat to her parents in Karnad. For the family which was expecting Padmapriya Bhat’s safe return going by media reports that she had been traced in Kolar, the news came as a shock.

Rajashekar, her brother, had promised to bring Ms. Padmapriya Bhat home. The family had not received any phone call from Rajashekar, who had left for New Delhi in search of his sister. They were not even aware that Rajashekharhad gone to New Delhi.

The mobile phone numbers of both her brothers were not reachable. The calls made to Damodar Rao’s house also went unanswered.

The family reportedly told the police that Padmapriya Bhat had visited the family on June 2 when a “homa” and “Ashlesha bali” puja were conducted. She had spoken to her family a few days ago but there was no indication of any trouble. Bhat had visited the family in May.

Udupi: Questions Arise Behind Death of MLA's Wife

11.50pm, IST, Jun 15

Udupi, Jun 15: The body of Padmapriya, who is reported to have committed suicide in far away Delhi, has been kept at Deendayal hospital. It will be brought to her home town after postmortem, sources informed.

Meanwhile, the state opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge took full advantage of the situation and said that the state government is  unable to give security to an MLAs' wife.  “ How can a common man expect a secured life in the state? The state government should clarify the issue. ”, he urged.

Sudarshan, Padmapriyas' younger brother told local media that her sister is not a weakling to easily  commit suicide. She actively participated in the election campaign while her husband Raghupati was fighting MLA elections in the Udupi constituency. He is very  suspicious about this incident, he said.

Rajshekhar, her elder brother, who is  already  Delhi, alleged that a certain Atul Rao has been involved in this incident. He alleged that Atul Rao, a contractor by  profession, was in contact with his sister and is directly involved in her death.

Interestingly, almost all close relatives of Padmapriya have  already reached New Delhi. How did they reach New Delhi so quickly ?  Did they have the information in advance? Why was the official missing complaint lodged three days after her disappearance ?

Misguided media?

Earlier reports said that, Padmapriya was found in a resort known as 'Jain Farm' in Malur in Kolar district and a certain Atul and Vijay were held for questioning. Even the police sources confirmed this news. Suddenly, she is now  found dead in a lodge in New Delhi. Did the officials deliberately misguide the media ?

8.15pm, IST, Jun 15

The flat was located with the help of Athul Rao, an engineer in Udupi and a friend of Bhat’s family,  Ray said.

8.00 pm, Jun 15, 2008

In a totally new development , another source  has just now informed that Padmapriya Bhat was never found in Kolar or Murdeshwar, but she is currently staying at  Hotel Dwaraka in New Delhi. Within next few  hours , vital information might be released from Sate ministry.

Since it is highly politically motivated issue, no information from any source can be considered as absolute truth. It is now for the officials to give a clear picture to the public.

7.00pm, IST, Jun 15

Udupi: Missing MLA's Wife is now in 'Hiding' - Officials Silent

Udupi, Jun 15: Udupi MLA Ragupathi Bhat's wife’s high profile missing case, though seen to be a happy ending is becoming more of a frustrating wait. Several questions  still remain unanswered, and people
of the twin districts are  curious to know where is Padmapriya now? It was believed  that Padmpriya was bought to Mangalore for investigation and a large number of mediamen waited outside the IGP office in Pandeshwar to  have a glimpse of Padmapriya after her return.

But she never turned up. No police official was  ready to come forward and answer media queries.
A reliable source from Udupi informed daijiworld that, Ragupathi Bhat has already left for Bangalore. Does this mean that Padmapriya will be taken to Bangalore ?

If it was a case of kidnapping, it was  absolutely  unnecessary to keep Padmapriya away from media.
Meanwhile, a reputed daily published from Bangalore, in its coastal edition mentioned that  the specific spot from where Padmapriya, wife of Udupi MLA Raghupathi was rescued, is reported to be a  Jain Farm in Sampagere village near Malur, Kolar district. The name of the engineer who was taken into custody from this spot is said to be Atul, while the MLA's ex-driver Vijay too has been taken into custody and subjected to interrogation.

It is said that Atul was well acquainted with Padmapriya and that the interior decoration of Bhat's house had been entrusted to him. Padmapriya is reported to have confessed to have gone there, because of
tension over some family matters. There is a likelihood that she went there on her own because of family squabbles. The Bhat couple have two sons named Rohan(10) and Rahul(7).  Besides the foursome, the mother of the  MLA, Saraswati, also lives with the family.

There are also rumours that Padmapriya was not wearing any green bangles and that leaving behind broken green bangles, cash and mobile were part of a well planned strategy aimed at misleading  investigators.

All eyes are on IGP A M Prasad's office and Home minister for an official press release. Could it be a kidnap or is it something more. Only time will tell.

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