‘Inspired’ by ‘Arundhati’ movie, Tumakuru youth immolates self

TUMAKURU: In a shocking incident, a youth died after immolating himself in the belief that he would get “salvation” as shown in the Telugu horror fantasy movie ‘Arundhati’, at Giddaaiahnapalya village in Madhugiri taluk on Thursday.

The deceased Renukaprasad, 23, doused himself with petrol and set himself afire on the outskirts of the village on Wednesday evening. Some passersby with the help of a few Kannada activists shifted him to a hospital from where he was referred to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. He succumbed to the 60 per cent burns he had suffered, at the hospital on Thursday.

Renukaprasad was a topper at the government school in Puravara village in SSLC exams, following which his family members moved him to Tumakuru for higher studies. After clearing first year PUC, he dropped out due to his addiction to watching movies. He watched ‘Arundhati’ many times, in which the protagonist dies by her will and is reborn to take revenge on the enemy.   

Victim watched movie 20 times, says family

“He might have watched ‘Arundhati’ at least 15-20 times and was obsessed with some horror scenes shown in the movie. We wanted him to study well and have a good career. Unfortunately, his addiction for movies claimed his life,” regretted Raju, a close relative who is also a lecturer. 

A video of the victim asking his father Siddappa to get “salvation” soon after he immolated himself went viral on social media. Renukaprasad used to keep moving from one place to another and was jobless.

“It is a matter of concern how he managed to buy 20 litres of petrol from a bunk nearby, of which he used one litre to immolate himself”, police said. Kodigenahalli police have registered a FIR case and are investigating the case.