Higher calling! Swami Nityaswarup Das owns eight high-end cars and was an investor and property dealer before he began serving in Bhagwan Swami Narayan Mandir at Amrishi road in Malad

The police recovered a suicide note written in Gujarati from his room stating that nobody was to blame for his death. “I am tired of my life. I am done with the duties of my life. Almighty God is calling me. I am going to meet him. No one is responsible for my suicide. It’s my wish that my last rites be performed in the temple premises,” the letter said.

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In addition to the suicide note, the police recovered three diaries, a passport in his name and a mobile phone from his room. The deceased was an astrologer and used to have visitors seeking to get their kundalis done, and these were in the diaries. The handwriting in the diaries matches that of the suicide note.

Das used to stay in a room next to the temple and usually woke up at 5 am each day. He woke up yesterday as usual and went inside the temple.

“We were sleeping inside the temple when Swami Nityaswarup went into the temple without taking a bath and asked everyone to go outside. He then locked the temple from inside, climbed onto a stool and hung himself from the ceiling fan hook.” said one of his disciples.

Parents in US
Das’ NRI parents, originally from Anand in Gujarat, are based in the US for several years now. His father, Dinesh Desai and mother are politicians. Das came to the city in 2000. He owned eight luxury cars, including an SUV, a Mercedes and an Audi. Das was an investor and property dealer before he began serving at the temple. He had a property in his hometown and one in Pune. He also owned a diamond and gold jewellery shop on the second floor in Raghuleela Mall.

“It is a clear case of suicide and we are investigating. We will question his relatives once they come to Mumbai,” said Inspector Vasant Patil of the Malad police station.u00a0