Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady
Beltangady, Jan 15: In a shocking incident, the body of a school student who had left home early in the morning to visit a temple was found in a lake at Gerukatte Sambolya Baramelu, with the preliminary post-mortem report confirming the possibility of a well-planned murder involving severe blows to the head.
The deceased has been identified as Sumanth (16), a class 9 student of Gerukatte Government High School and son of Subrahmanya Naik, a resident of Gerukatte Baramelu. As part of the special rituals observed during the Dhanu month, Sumanth had developed a routine of waking up early and visiting the Sri Durgaparameshwari temple at Nala every morning. Accordingly, on Wednesday, the last day of Dhanu Sankramana, he left home around 4.30 am to go to the temple. However, when he did not return, family members began searching for him, and his body was later found in a lake located about 500 metres away.
Initially, rumours spread among locals that the boy might have been dragged away by a leopard. Beltangady fire and emergency services personnel conducted a search in a nearby lake, during which Sumanth’s body was recovered. Injury marks were noticed on the body, raising suspicion about whether the injuries were caused by a fall into the lake. Superintendent of police Arun visited the spot and stated that the truth would be revealed after the post-mortem examination and detailed investigation.
The post-mortem examination was conducted at the district Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru. It revealed three severe blows to the head, allegedly inflicted using a sharp weapon or another object. The impact was so forceful that the skull had fractured. It is suspected that Sumanth was struck on the head, carried to the lake, and pushed into the water while in a semi-conscious state. The post-mortem also revealed that water had entered the lungs, causing damage.
As Sumanth reportedly slipped into a semi-conscious state immediately after the head injuries, it is suspected that he was unable to offer any resistance. Supporting this theory, eyewitnesses informed that Sumanth was still wearing his slippers when his body was found, indicating that he may not have attempted to flee or struggle.
The preliminary report has further clarified that the injuries found on the head were caused by blunt force trauma and were not inflicted using any sharp weapon. However, the report has not provided a clear explanation regarding how the head injuries were sustained. In view of this, and with the intention of conducting a thorough and detailed investigation, the unnatural death case has been converted into a murder case and investigation is being carried out accordingly.
For an in-depth probe into the case, four special teams have been formed under the leadership of the Beltangady deputy superintendent of police (DySP).