BJP activist Vinay Somaiah laid to rest at native village, state leaders attend

MADIKERI: The last rites of BJP activist Vinay Somaiah, who committed suicide in Bengaluru over alleged harassment by two Congress MLAs, were conducted at their estate next to their house at Gonimarur Yadunde village in Somwarpet taluk as per Arebashe Gowda traditions amid tight police security on Saturday.

Family members, relatives and the villagers were present when Vinay’s younger brother Vivek lit the funeral pyre. BJP leaders including state president B Y Vijayendra, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar, MLA V Srivatsa, former legislator K G Bopaiah, former MP Pratap Simha, MLC Preetam Gowda paid their last respects at the Kushalnagar government hospital. Yaduveer, Srivatsa and Bopaiah were also present during the last rites.

Earlier, the body was brought from Bengaluru amid tight police security. The mortal remains were received at the house after firing two shots in the air. His friends Vishnu Nachappa, Chalan and Sachin, whom Vinay had mentioned in his death note, were also present.

BJP activists, led by Vijayendra, Yaduveer, Pratap Simha, Bopaiah and Preetam Gowda also staged a protest at the Kushalnagar government hospital premises demanding that an FIR be filed against Congress MLAs A S Ponnanna and Manthar Gowda. Addressing the protesters, Vijayendra said, “Can’t Congress legislators be questioned on social media? You should not be disheartened and commit suicide. This is a murderous government and Siddaramaiah is a murderous chief minister”.

“The CM is backing the murderers and the police department has become a puppet in the hands of the government. If the police do not respect their uniform and act as per law, people will barge into police stations and set fire to them and the police themselves will be responsible for the situation”, he said while insisting on a CBI probe into Vinay Somaiah’s death. He also handed over compensation to Vinay’s brother Vivek. Prior to that, the BJP activists tried to gherao the Deputy SP’s office, but were detained by the police.