In a shocking incident, Karnataka legislative council deputy chairman and JD(S) leader SL Dharmegowda was found dead on a railway track in Chikkamagaluru district early Tuesday. It’s suspected he died by suicide and police claimed to have recovered a note near his body.
Chikkamagalur DC Dr Bagadi Gautham told TOI the cause of death can be confirmed only after the post-mortem. Senior leaders including BJP national general secretary CT Ravi and Dharmegowda’s brother Bhojegowda, who is also a MLC, have rushed to the spot.
Probe has been launched into the death of Dharmegowda whose body parts have been recovered from the spot.
According to sources, Dharmegowda asked his official gunman and escort to leave him alone on Monday evening. He left home in Sakharayapattana in Kadur around 7pm on Monday but later went missing. He had a police escort but he left home without escort in his personal four-wheeler vehicle along with a driver.
After reaching the spot, the deputy chairperson asked the driver to leave the place before ringing up one of his known persons. Dharmegowda said to have inquired about train movement around the time. Later his phone remained switched off.
Police escort team and family members grew suspicious after his phone remain switched off. The news of his death came to light around midnight.
Dharmegowda had recently hogged limelight when he was pulled down from the chairman’s seat over a row pertaining to the no-confidence motion initiated against council chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty.
