Guru Madivaleshwara Mutt Pontiff Basava Siddalinga Swamiji committed suicide after his name was dragged into an audio linked to sex scandal of Chitradurga Murugha mutt seer and he was allegedly pained due to the same.

According to the police sources on Monday, Swamiji was found hanging in his room in Belagavi district of Karnataka.

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The devotees meanwhile staged a protest demanding legal action and arrest of two women who spoke about deceased swamiji in a demeaning manner in the alleged audio clip.

Besides, as per the police, the devotees are not allowing the police to take the dead body of the swamiji.

It is alleged that one Satyakka from Managundi village in Dharwad and Rudramma Hasinala from Gangavathi in Koppal district are the women whose conversation has been leaked to social media.

As per the police, Basava Siddalinga Swamiji was talking to devotees till late night on Sunday.

He told his devotees that he was pained that his reference was made in a demeaning way in the purported audio and he is not feeling like living anymore.

The incident came to light on Monday morning when the police have got the death note of the swamiji. The deceased swamiji had written, “I have not committed any mistake. I am responsible for my death. There is no necessity to investigate anyone. I am fed up with this world.

“My mother, please pardon me. The devotees of the mutt should pardon me. I am going to Madivaleshwara (god). The committee of the mutt and devotees should take charge of the mutt,” he wrote in the note. Further investigation is on.

The audio clip containing an alleged conversation between the two women discussing how women and girls were exploited at Chitradurga mutt went viral on social media.

The two women bring up the name of deceased Basava Siddalinga Swamiji in the discussion which has cast aspersions on his reputation and honour, explained police sources.

The seer, who ended his life, was pained with the development, and devotees of the mutt had lodged a complaint with DySP of Bylahongala in Belagavi district seeking action against vested interests who are targeting Lingayat pontiffs.

(With inputs from IANS)