Mumbai, Jul 28 (PTI) Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the trust that manages the famous Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district allegedly committed suicide on Monday, police said, weeks after revelation about corruption in the shrine’s functioning.
Nitin Shete (43), deputy CEO of Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan, was found hanging at his residence at Shete Vasti in Shani Shingnapur village, around 300km from Mumbai, a police official said.
The reason behind the alleged suicide by Shete, who was also a former trustee of the temple management body, was not yet known, he said.
The incident came to light in the morning when Shete’s family members did not get any response despite repeated knocks at his room’s door. Worried family members, with the help of neighbours, then broke open the door and found the deputy CEO hanging from the ceiling with a rope, according to the official.
On being alerted, a police team reached the spot and rushed Shete to hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. The exact cause of death would be known only after post-mortem report is received, he informed.
An accidental death case was registered at the local police station and further probe was on, the official said.
The issue of collecting donations through fake apps and alleged corruption in day-to-day operations of the temple surfaced in the assembly during the just concluded monsoon session of the state legislature.
The Maharashtra government had then directed police to register cases against the trust that manages operations of the popular temple dedicated to Lord Shani.
While investigating the suicide of Shete, police will also probe if he had anything to do with the corruption charges levelled against the temple trust, the official said. PTI DC RSY
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