Popular Karnataka astrologer among 4 arrested for murder during a confrontation over his ‘affair’

On Wednesday, Vasanth’s family members and villagers gathered outside the Siddapura police station demanding to hand over the astrologer to them. The protesters also sought a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased man’s family.

Affair with a client

According to the police, Kamalakar Bhat, a native of Uttara Kannada, claimed to see the future and make accurate predictions. He had an affair with Suchitra, who visited him in Bengaluru along with her husband, Mahesh Naik, to know about their future.

Officers said Suchitra married Mahesh more than 15 years ago and the couple have two children. The family lived in Bengaluru for a short while before Suchitra and the children shifted to their home village Avaraguppa, while Mahesh continued to work in Bengaluru.

Investigators said Suchitra met Bhat in the city and their friendship continued after she returned to her village. Suchitra is said to have shifted to Shivamogga with her children later to live with Bhat.

Messages from daughter and a police complaint

Mahesh, who is currently under treatment at a hospital due to injuries sustained in the brawl, said he recently started receiving messages from his eldest daughter. “She said that she was uncomfortable staying with her mother as she was being harassed and tortured. I asked her to come to Siddapura on Monday and we went to the Siddapura police station, where she filed a complaint against her mother,” he said.

Later, Mahesh and his daughter returned to their house in Avaraguppa. Around 9.30 pm, Suchitra, her father Lokanath, Kamalakar Bhat, and four others reached Mahesh’s house carrying knives and other weapons, and got into a fight, the police said. As the situation escalated, Lokanath and the others tried to stab Mahesh, but his brother Vasanth Naik – who tried to save Mahesh – got stabbed instead. Mahesh and his friend Kumar Naik sustained injuries in the incident, said a police officer. Vasanth Naik was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to the injuries on Tuesday.

The accused were on the run following the incident, but the police arrested the four on Tuesday.