Udupi: Kidnapped Vasudeva Adiga's Body Found in Chikmagalur
Silvester D'Souza / Kevin Rodrigues
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Update
Udupi, Jan 12: Congress member and RTI activist Vasudeva Adiga, who was allegedly kidnapped on the night of January 7, has been found dead.
Adiga's body was found at Kadur in Chikmagalur district on Saturday January 12.
Sources said that the body was found in Madagada pond, with a heavy stone weighing nearly 20 kg tied to the leg. It is learnt that the body was in a decomposed state and was thought to be of an unknown person. Preparations were even made to bury the body, but at the nick of time, a bill in the name of Adiga was found in his pocket, which established the identity.
Marks on the neck indicated that Adiga had been strangled to death with wires after which his body was disposed off in the water. It is suspected that it may be the work of professional killers. Sources said that police have already found some clues to the murder.
Post-mortem was done in Chikmagalur, followed by a second post-mortem in Shimoga. The body will be brought to Adiga's native Vandar on Sunday January 13 for the final rites at 8 am.
Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Jayaprakash Hegde visited the spot.
It may be recalled that Adiga was kidnapped on January 7 night while he was on his way back home to Vandar from Kota in his bike. A black Scorpio car had waylaid his bike near Goliangadi and the miscreants forced him inside their car.
The police suspected that it was a case of kidnapping primarily because of a land dispute that was going on between Adiga and four others. Several people were taken for questioning, and two days later, his mobile phone was found near the spot where he was kidnapped.
An active member of the Congress, he had contested in the Billadi gram panchayat elections and faced defeat. Thereafter, he engaged himself in social service activities and was in the forefront when it came to exposing illegal activities.
As an RTI activist, he had repeatedly exposed wrongdoings in various quarters. It is said that he was in the process of collecting valuable information about suspicious dealings in government offices in Udupi and Brahmavar, misappropriation of crores of rupees in a temple under the district endowment department, illegal activities of a few local leaders, and various other illegalities. For this reason, a few who feared being exposed may have done him in, sources said.
He is survived by his mother, four sisters and a younger brother who is in Bangalore.