• Wife alleges ‘honey trap,’ lodges Police complaint
• Expert divers from Mangaluru trace body

Madikeri: An Ex-Serviceman, who had gone missing after leaving behind a death note, has been found dead.  The deceased has been identified as Sandesh (38), a resident of Ukkuda in the town.

As Sandesh’s slippers, watch and mobile phone were found on the Ukkuda Lake bund, Police and Fire & Emergency Services personnel had launched a search operation in the Lake from 9.30 am till late evening on Wednesday, but were unable to locate or trace the body.

Later, expert divers Ramakrishna of Kushalnagar, Fire Brigade’s Muthappa and Lathif of Garagamduru arrived at Madikeri and conducted a search in the Lake till late evening but in vain.

As the Lake was 25 to 30 ft. deep, expert diver from Mangaluru Eshwar Malpe was summoned, who arrived along with his team and dived deep into the Lake with the help of scuba gear, torch and oxygen cylinder and managed to fish out the body of Sandesh at about 8.45 pm. The body was shifted to the District Hospital for post-mortem.

Meanwhile, the public urged the Police to conduct investigation based on the death note.

The death note, which is in Police custody, states that one Jeevitha was responsible for his (Sandesh) death. The death note further stated that the woman (Jeevitha), along her mother and younger sister, had honey-trapped him and were blackmailing him besides stating that a few people known to Jeevitha had tortured him.

Sandesh, who went for his morning walk on Tuesday morning, had sent a message to his sister stating that his mobile phone and slippers would be found near the Lake.

The Police, who conducted a search based on Sandesh’s mobile phone location, found his mobile phone and slippers near the Lake. Clues pertaining to Sandesh getting into the Lake, was also found.

Meanwhile, Kodagu Superintendent of Police (SP) K. Ramarajan said that Sandesh’s wife has lodged a complaint at Madikeri Town Police Station stating that her husband was honey-trapped and he was being blackmailed for money.

The SP further stated that there are a few names mentioned in the death note and added that an FIR has been registered and investigation in various angles has been taken up simultaneously.