Guruling Shivacharya Swami of Mahagav Kallimath died due to cardiac arrest while taking ‘Sankranti Bath’ at a place where Kaaniga and Bhima river join near Chandralambika temple at Shahanad taluk on Friday evening.

Alike every year, the swamiji and few devotees been to the river to take the ‘Sankranti Bath’ on Friday and were swimming. After devotees came back to the river bank they saw the swamiji was drowning and they jumped again and brought him out. As unconscious they thought he might have drank water and pressed his stomach to grt out the water from the mouth.

As there was no response, they rushed the swamiji to Dr Veerabadrappa Inginmath hospital where doctor told them the swami was died due to cardiac arrest while swimming. The swamiji was 58.

The body of the swamiji has kept for public view at Kallimath and the last rites will be held in the premises of the math at 3pm on Saturday.