Fake appeal on social media brings in Rs 15 lakh for priest’s final rites

NAMAKKAL: Soon after part-time priest of the Anjayaneyar temple R Venkatesh, 53, died a day after a fall from an elevated platform while performing puja, an appeal, purportedly made by his cousin, seeking funds for the last rites vent viral on social media. People from across the world started sending money to the account number given in the post.
“More than Rs 15 lakh has been credited in the account of V Krishnamurthy (Venkatesh’s cousin),” a senior official from Karur Vysya Bank, Namakkal branch, told TOI. He said more than 200 people had sent money from across the world through online transfer.

Family members of Venkatesh said they had enough money to perform the final rites and had never sought help. “Venkatesh was working as assistant general manager with KKP group of companies, a well known firm in Namakkal town,” said a family member who did not want to be named. He said Venkatesh’s brother and cousins too chipped in to help out the family after Venkatesh died late on Monday.

Family members said the temple authorities owed Venkatesh’s brother R Nagaraj some money. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department officials usually collect money from devotees in the form of ‘archanai’ ticket, butter alankaram, pearl alankaran, etc.

“The officials give the money at the end of the month to all priests working in the temple,” the family member said. “However, for the past four months the HR&CE officials have not been paying him. When Nagaraj asked them for payment, they asked him for the account number of a family member.”

“We gave Krishnamurthy’s bank account details,” Nagaraj said, adding that they suspected someone from the temple might have posted the message on social media with details of Krishnamurthy’s bank account and phone number.

Meanwhile, Krishnamurthy started getting calls on his mobile phone from people across the globe.

“At one stage, he switched off his phone,” Nagaraj said. Later, Krishnamurthy developed severe chest pain when his family members suspected he had posted the message and began scolding him. “He has now been admitted in the ICU in a private hospital in Namakkal town,” Nagaraj said.

The family members discussed the issue on Wednesday and decided to give the money they have received back to the senders. They have approached the bank, which has assured them help to get it done.

“We will return the entire money shortly once we completed Venkatesh’s final rites,” said Nagaraj.

On a request from Krishnamurthy, KVB officials blocked his account on Wednesday morning.

Nagaraj has decided to lodge a complaint with the cyber crime cell to identify the person who misused Krishnamurthy’s bank account details and damaged their family’s reputation.