Dy.SP Ganapathy ‘suicide’ issue stalls legislature

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, July 12, 2016: The alleged suicide of Deputy Superintendent of Police M.K. Ganapathy rocked the State Assembly and the Council on Monday, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George and suspension of two senior IPS officers, who were accused of harassing the Dy.SP.

 

What fuelled the Opposition’s anger was Home Minister G. Parameshwara’s suo motu statement, which projected the officer as suffering from depression due to a troubled relationship with his wife, which could have pushed him to suicide. It harped on the “disputed” complaint of the officer’s father, who had allegedly said that his son had slipped into depression as “he was being ill-treated by his wife.”

The Opposition pointed out that Ganapathy’s father had already clarified that he had merely signed a complaint that had been written by the police themselves without reading it, as he was then in no state of mind to go through it. Even the psychiatrist, who treated Ganapathy in the last two months, stated that he did not have suicidal tendencies, they said, demanding withdrawal of the Home Minister’s statement.

Even as the Opposition began a dharna in the well of the House and tore copies of his statement, Dr. Parameshwara maintained that the police had booked a case of unnatural death following a complaint by his father. He said that Ganapathy’s brothers Dy.SP M.K. Thammaiah and M.K. Machaiah had confirmed that their brother was suffering from depression owing to family problems.

Mr. Parameshwara said the CID would examine all angles, including “those being projected as being responsible for the suicide”. The inquiry would also have to verify the authenticity of the allegations made by Ganapathy in the TV interview, he said.

‘Double standards’

Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar accused the government of adopting double standards by going soft on VIPs and acting tough against common people. He and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy took exception to the government not registering a case under Section 306 of Indian Penal Code for abetting the suicide against Mr. George and the two IPS officers.

House adjourned

The House had to be adjourned three times following a dharna and sloganeering by the Opposition members, before being adjourned for the day.

BJP to hold protests in all districts today

Intensifying its protest outside the legislature seeking the resignation of Minister K.J. George, the BJP district units will not only hold protests in front of the deputy commissioners’ offices in all districts on Tuesday, but will also stage a dharna in Bengaluru.