For many years Kamalakar Bhat was a name that signified divinity and charity. A Vedic scholar who had broken out of abject poverty to run the “Nitya Pooja Bhiksha Patra” initiative of feeding 700 people a day in slums and hospitals, he was lauded as a “Guruji.”
But on Tuesday, the mask of the saintly donor crumbled, leaving a cold-blooded conspirator behind a gruesome murder.
The Sinister Connection
Its fall began when Kamalakar Bhat used the power of astrology to gain access to the life of Mahesh Naik and his wife Suchitra. Although Mahesh found employment in Bengaluru to help his family, Bhat is thought to have deceived Suchitra under the pretext of spiritual guidance. The relationship eventually became an illicit affair. Suchitra left her husband, and moved to Shivamogga, where she lived with the astrologer, abandoning her children. When the children challenged the arrangement, they are reported to have been threatened with poisoning.
A Daughter’s Cry: “Appa, Save Me”
The situation boiled over when Mahesh’s daughter Sumashree sent her father a desperate secret message: “Appa, save me.”
Afraid for his children's lives, Mahesh rescued them and put them underneath the shelter of his brother, Vasant Naik, in Siddapur. This protector’s deed enraged Kamalakar Bhat and Suchitra. On Feb. 3, the “philanthropist” who had become infamous for feeding the hungry showed up not with food but rather the “Death Squad” of five hired goons.
The Bloodbath in Siddapur
The attackers invaded Vasant Naik’s home, transforming the area into a battlefield. In the ensuing violence:
- Vasant Naik (43): Was viciously hacked to death attempting to keep his family safe.
- Mahesh Naik: Critical injuries, fighting for recovery in hospital.
- Kumar: A neighbor who stood up to intervene was also seriously injured, and he is in critical condition.
Justice and Aftermath
Siddapur Police responded quickly by registering FIR No. 23/26. Seven persons, including Kamalakar Bhat, Suchitra, and her father Lokanath, have also been arrested.
The community is stunned in disquiet as they match the man who ran four Omni vans with which they delivered free meals with the man who carried out a midnight raid to commit murder. A family once full of happiness has been reduced to a "cemetery-like silence," children now traumatized by their mother’s actions and a man they were taught to respect as a Guru.
That investigation is continuing as authorities investigate whether Bhat’s charitable organizations were a facade for other illegal activities.
