Congress MLA booked for abetting suicide of PSI in K'taka

Yadgir, NT Bureau: A case was registered by the police against Congress MLA Channareddy Tannur and his son Pampanagouda Tannur on Saturday after a Dalit sub-inspector allegedly died by suicide, following his transfer within seven months of posting.

With the issue snowballing into a major controversy, the state government handed over the probe to the CID, top sources in the Home Department told PTI.

The MLA and his son were booked on charges of intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace, abetment of suicide and joint criminal liability on a complaint by Parusharam's wife Shwetha N V. She alleged that the father-son duo had allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh from her husband if he wished to continue in the same place.

Shwetha said Parashuram was in tears ever since he was transferred and told her that he felt suicidal. The body was removed by the police and sent for postmortem.

When Shwetha, who is pregnant, went to Raichur to her parents' house for the delivery of her child, she got to know that Parashuram was hospitalised with bleeding from his nose and mouth.

Following the incident, members of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) staged a demonstration blocking the road demanding justice for Parashuram. Shwetha too joined the agitators. Reacting to the incident, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that he has ordered a thorough investigation into the case. He, however, ruled out that it was a suicide.

“He (Parashuram) did not commit suicide. He had not written any death note. His wife has complained that she was suffering from the transfer issue. I will consider his allegation. Investigation will be done in that dimension,” the Minister told reporters in Bengaluru. He said that the police were collecting preliminary information and conduct an investigation.