Hotelier found dead in Hukkeri

A hotelier was found dead in Hukkeri on Tuesday (March 24). Workers found the body of Ramachandra Shankar Halluri, 65, in the hotel and informed the police. A team led by circle inspector M.K. Basapur visited the spot.

Mr. Halluri, who hailed from Nekar Galli in Hukkeri town, had been running the Sri Hanuman Hotel for 16 years. He had taken loans of around ₹11 lakh to start the tea shop. He had taken loans from Hukkeri Urban Bank, Bellad Bagewadi Bank and Mahaveer Cooperative Society.

“He had suffered losses in his business for some time. He was upset that he was not able to repay the loans on time,’’ his son Uday Ramachandra Halluri said in a complaint to the police. He also said that the family did not suspect anyone to be responsible for the death.

The police have dismissed reports stating that he was upset due to the non-availability of cylinders as baseless rumours. A police officer who visited the hotel found that there was a full cylinder in the kitchen and the stove was functional. “I have personally checked the cylinder and gas stove. Preliminary investigation has indicated that he was anxious over growing losses and the mounting burden of loans and interest payments,’’ Mr. Basapur told reporters in Hukkeri.

A case has been registered at the Hukkeri police station.

(If you are in distress, please reach out to these 24/7 helplines: KIRAN at 1800-599-0019 or Arogya Sahayavani at 104 for help.)