Police assure thorough probe into seer's death

The Kerala High Court was today assured by the state police that it would conduct a thorough probe into allegations against SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan and others in connection with the suspicious death of a mutt head in 2002.
In a report filed in the court, the Crime Branch said it had evolved an action plan for the purpose of further investigation into the death of former Sivagiri Mutt head Swami Saswathikananda.
Scientific examination of evidence will be carried out and the cause of injuries would also be probed, it said.
The Crime Branch further said a detailed examination of video footage of post-mortem will be carried out.

The report was filed on a writ petition by Palakkad-based NGO All Kerala Anti Corruption and Human Rights Protection Council seeking an independent and detailed investigation into the case.
Earlier, the court had directed the state police to produce all documents relating to the investigation into the mysterious death of the Ezhava spiritual leader 13 years ago.

The swami allegedly drowned at the bathing ghat of Periyar near Aluva when he went for bathing on July 1, 2002.
The local police had probed the case and concluded that it was an accidental drowning.
The issue has come to focus recently after Kerala State Bar Hotel Owners Associations working president Biju Ramesh alleged that the Swami's death was a murder and Natesan and his son Thushar had a role in it.