Well-known Saral Vastu expert brutally stabbed to death in hotel lobby by duo

HUBBALLI: Popular Saral Vastu expert Chandrashekar Guruji was brutally stabbed by two men to death in the lobby of a hotel at Unkal here on Tuesday afternoon. The duo came posing as devotees. The entire incident has been captured on CCTV cameras.

The attackers came to the hotel and were waiting for Chandrashekar Guruji to come from his room. When he arrived in the lobby, one of the attackers is first seen falling at his feet and seeking blessings. Suddenly, his accomplice stabs him in the neck and chest while Chandrashekar tries to fight him off. The two attackers then get together and stab Chandrashekar repeatedly for 60 times even as the shocked hotel staff try to intervene, but are warned against it.

Mahantesh and Manjunath leaving the hotel after committing the murder.

It is believed that the attackers had consulted Chandrashekar Guruji on Vastu tips to improve their business and had paid lakhs of rupees as fee. But since the Vastu tips did not help, they had gone into depression and murdered him. They have been identified as Mahantesh and Manjunath Shirur, hailing from Kalaghatagi taluk in Dharwad district.

The attackers warning the hotel staff to move away.

Mahantesh and Manjunath had become followers of Chandrashekar Guruji for the last two years. They knew about his visit to Hubballi, and two days ago, they visited Chandrashekar’s office near Chennamma Circle to collect information about where he was staying.

On Tuesday, they called Chandrashekar Guruji and requested to meet him and waited at the hotel for half an hour. In fact, they were waiting near the hotel since 10 am.

Mahantesh Shiru and wife Vanajakshi with their children.

It is suspected that the murder was also related to some benami property. Mahantesh’s wife Vanajakshi was earlier employed at Chandrashekar Guruji’s outfit and Chandrashekar had registered some properties, including an apartment complex on Gokul Road, in her name. A dispute arose when Chandrashekar sought to have the property back.

The Gokul Road police have arrested Vanajakshi while a special team managed to apprehend Mahantesh and Manjunath, who were fleeing in a car, within four hours of the murder.