suicide by hanging
[Representational Image].Reuters File

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka launched a protest on Friday against the state government after the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mangalore, MK Ganapathy, committed suicide on Thursday. Ganapathy reportedly took the drastic step as he was under pressure for months, and accused senior police officers and politicians in the Congress-led government of harassing him.

The employees of a lodge at Madikeri in Kodagu district where Ganapathy was staying called the police on Thursday after his body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his room. He was reportedly alive till the afternoon.

"We found the body of deputy superintendent of police MK Ganapathy, 51, hanging from a ceiling fan in a lodge room. He was in uniform with service revolver around the waist," Kodagu district Police Superintendent Rajendra Prasad told IANS on phone.

"We have registered a case of unnatural death and informed Ganapathy's family. We will investigate what forced him to take his life, as a suicide note has been found in the lodge room," Prasad said.

In a suicide note found at the spot, Ganapathy had reportedly written that he was being harassed by ADGP (Intelligence) AM Prasad and former home minister and Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George. AM Prasad was allegedly asking for money to give Ganapathy clean chit in a seven-year-old case.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying by India Today that a CID investigation has been initiated in the matter.

In a similar incident, Deputy Superintendent of police, Chikkamagaluru, Kallappa Handibagh, 34, was found dead at Muragod in Belagavi on Tuesday. He was accused of taking Rs. 10 lakh as bribe.

Another police officer, Preethi Shenoy, had alleged recently that the state government and senior police officers were harassing her in line of duty. She had lodged a complaint with the Women's Commission against the Ballari Superintendent of Police, R Chetan, for harassing her after being pressured by some political leaders.