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 300 km 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 familymembers,with the help of neighbours, then broke open the door and found thedeputyCEOhanging from the ceiling with a rope, according to the official. On being alerted, a police teamreached thespot 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-dayoperationsof the templesurfacedintheAssemblyduring thejust concludedmonsoon session of the State Legislature. TheMaharashtraGovernment had then directed police to register cases against the trust.