Mangaluru: Police imposed a blanket ban on public access to Shiroor mutt in Udupi as they began the probe into a complaint suspecting foul play in the death of its head Sri Laxmivara Teertha Swamiji.
The ban, also applicable to the original Shiroor mutt property at Harikandige near Hiriadka in the district, would be in force till the probe into the case was completed, police said on Friday.
The 54-year old seer passed away at a private hospital in Manipal yesterday, with doctors voicing "suspicion of poisoning" and the kin alleging foul play.
KMC Hospital, where the seer was admitted and died had said there was a "suspicion of poisoning", while his brother Lathavya Acharya filed a police complaint in Udupi, alleging that he had been poisoned to death and demanding a probe.
Top police officials including IGP (Western Range) Arun Chakravarthy and Udupi
district superintendent of police Laxman Nimbargi visited
Hiriadka and Shiroor mutt on Friday.