Sri Sathya Sai district police on Monday clarified that the suspicious death case of Vijay Bhaskar in Gudibanda mandal, reported on April 22, 2026, was due to natural causes and not a murder, following a detailed investigation conducted by a special police team.

Speaking to the media at the area police station here, Superintendent of Police (SP) S. Satish Kumar said the case was reportedly re-examined following complaints raised by the relatives of the deceased. He said the probe was assigned to the Crime branch officials instead of the local police to ensure an impartial investigation.

The SP claimed that the CCTV footage confirmed that local residents Kotilingappa, Hanumantha Rayudu, and Harish shifted Vijay Bhaskar on a motorcycle to an RMP and later to Gudibanda government hospital after he collapsed. Technical evidence established that two persons suspected by the family were not present locally at the time, while the remaining individuals had no role in the death, he added.

He said that the postmortem report, prepared by a panel of doctors, allegedly found no injuries or evidence of poisoning, though Vijay Bhaskar had consumed alcohol. CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and forensic reports confirmed it was a natural death, the SP said.