leeladhar shetty daughter
leeladhar shetty daughter
Acclaimed theatre artist Leeladhar Shetty, 68, and his wife Vasundhara L Shetty, 59, tragically ended their lives in 2023 by hanging in their residence in Karandadi, Majoor village, Kaup taluk, Udupi district.
The incident occurred a few hours after their adopted daughter, aged 17, went missing from their home on December 16, 2023.
The Shetty couple had adopted the girl about 16 years ago.
Sources reveal that the disappearance deeply distressed the couple.
Employing a nylon sari, they took their lives sometime between 11.20 pm on December 12 and 12.30 am on December 13.
The Kaup police, responding to a complaint filed by Leeladhar’s relative MohanKumar D Shetty, have initiated an investigation into the case, registering it as a kidnapping.
Leeladhar Shetty, a former contestant in the Kaup assembly constituency, had a noteworthy career as a theatre artist and social worker.
He served as the president and a member of Majoor gram panchayat, and his drama troupe reflected his popularity.
His affiliations included leadership roles in Kaup Buntara Sangha, and he was the founder of Kaup Rangataranga.
Leeladhar Shetty also received the Udupi district Rajyotsava award.
The police, in response to the missing person report, arrested four individuals connected to the disappearance of Leeladhar Shetty’s adopted daughter.
Girish (20), the boyfriend of the girl, along with accomplices Roopesh (22) and Jayant (23) from Shirva, and Mohammed Aziz from Majoor, were apprehended near Kumble in Kasargod district.
The Shetty couple, who adopted the baby girl due to their inability to conceive, faced immense distress over her sudden disappearance.
The police have charged Girish with POCSO, rape, and kidnapping, while the other three accomplices also face POCSO charges.
The arrest operation was conducted by Kaup PSI Abdul Khader and his team, directed by SP Dr. Arun K, ASP Siddalingappa, and Karkala DySP Aravinda Kallagujji.
The tragedy has cast a pall over the community and the police continue their efforts to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.
leeladhar shetty fast facts
Leeladhar Shetty, a distinguished social activist, senior theater artist, and religious leader from Mazur village in Kaup taluk, Udupi district, took his own life along with his wife, Vasundhara L Shetty, at their residence on December 12, 2023.
The police are currently investigating the circumstances leading to their tragic suicides.
Born in 1955 into a low-caste farming family in Mazur village, Kaup taluk, Karnataka, Leeladhar Shetty had a profound interest in theater and acting from a young age.
After completing his graduation, he actively participated in various local theaters.
In 1980, he married Bashundhara Shetty, also a theater artist and social activist.
The couple, through their involvement in theater, social work, and various religious events, received several awards from the local government in recognition of their impactful contributions to the community.
The news of Leeladhar Shetty and his wife’s suicide on the night of December 12 shocked the media. Preliminary investigations revealed that they took their lives inside their home using a saree, leaving behind a suicide note. T
he couple had been grappling with financial crises for an extended period, leading to mental distress.
Their adopted 17-year-old daughter had been missing since December 10, adding to their anguish.
A relative reported a possible molestation of the daughter, prompting a police investigation.
The true reasons behind the suicides are yet to be fully ascertained.
Leeladhar Shetty and his wife adopted a daughter 16 years ago, who had been living with them.
The teenager went missing suddenly a few days ago, prompting an extensive search.
In despair over not finding her, the couple committed suicide.
The police arrested four individuals, Girish, Rupesh, Aziz, and Jayant, residents of Shirva, on December 17, charging them under the Protection of Children Abuse Act for abducting the 16-year-old girl.
Leeladhar Shetty, a stalwart social worker and theater personality, left a lasting impact on the community, and the reasons behind his tragic demise are still being probed by the authorities.