Sumanth mysterious death case: Brain mapping, narco analysis conducted on family members

Sumanth mysterious death case: Brain mapping, narco analysis conducted on family members

Mangalore Today News Network

Belthangady, Aug 21, 2026: In a bid to unravel the mystery surrounding the suspicious death of 15-year-old Sumanth from Sambholya near Gerukatte in Kuvettu village of Belthangady taluk, brain mapping and narco-analysis procedures have been initiated at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Madiwala, Bengaluru, with prior permission from the court.

The investigation is being conducted under the leadership of Belthangady Circle Inspector Ravi B.S. Five family members connected to the case have already been taken to the Bengaluru FSL, where the first phase of questioning and examination has been completed.

On August 10, Sumanth’s father, Subrahmanya Naik, and mother, Ratnavathi, were questioned intensively from morning until afternoon. Later, Sumanth’s brother Sudarshan, who is pursuing engineering at Nitte, was questioned from afternoon until evening.

On August 11, Ratnavathi’s brother Radhakrishna, a priest in Perla, and Lakshminarayana, a relative from Kasaragod who works as a cook, were questioned and their statements recorded.

FSL experts are now comparing the responses given by the five individuals with information gathered during the investigation. They have also been instructed to appear again for the next stage of the brain-mapping process.

After completing the first phase of examination and questioning of the five family members, police are also preparing to conduct brain-mapping tests on other suspects identified during the investigation.

Sumanth, a talented Class 9 student of Gerukatte Government High School and a resident of Sambholya in Odilnala village, died under mysterious circumstances on January 14, 2026, while he was on his way to the Nalasri Durgaparameshwari Temple to participate in Dhanur Puja early that morning.

From the beginning, suspicions were raised that the boy’s death was not natural and that he may have been systematically murdered. Considering the seriousness of the case, police had formed a special team and investigated the matter from several angles, but the mystery surrounding his death remained unresolved.

Police have now intensified the investigation using scientific methods, attempting to verify discrepancies in statements and other information gathered during the probe through forensic examinations.