BJP activist commits suicide alleging ‘harassment’ by Congress MLAs; Protest held in Madikeri

BENGALURU, MADIKERI: A BJP activist hailing from Kushalnagar in Kodagu district, who was working as a manager with a human resource company in Bengaluru, committed suicide by hanging at his office early on Friday morning.

The BJP activist, Vinay Somaiah, had uploaded his death note on social media before ending his life. He was reported upset after he was arrested two months ago by the Madikeri police over a post in a WhatsApp group with Virajpet MLA A S Ponnana’s photograph. The complaint was lodged by Congress activist Tennira Maina.

Vinay Somaiah was living with his wife and child at Electronics City and committed suicide at his office premises at HBR Layout in Nagavara around 4.30 am on Friday.

Advocate Nishant Kushalappa said, “Vinay was the third accused in the case related to the photograph circulated on the WhatsApp group, but was being harassed by the police, the complainant and associates of two MLAs. Vinay was upset about the case and the two MLAs have now given ‘suicide bhagya’. The case should be investigated by the CBI”.

Several BJP leaders including former MLC Ashwathnarayan, Sapthagiri Gowda, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, R Ashoka and others visited the Ambedkar Hospital where the autopsy was conducted. “Vinay was being harassed for the last two months for a WhatsApp post by someone else about a toilet in bad shape. Legislators Manthar Gowda and A S Ponnanna had been threatening him. Tennira Maina is directly responsible for Vinay’s death and should be arrested”, said Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.

Opposition leader R Ashoka said, “Congress MLAs and their supporters were constantly harassing Vinay through the police. Police stations have become Congress offices. The family of Vinay has already lodged a complaint against Tannira Maina, Ponnanna and Manthar Gowda and we will stand with the family to ensure justice for Vinay”.

Meanwhile, BJP activists staged a snap protest in Madikeri and blocked the main road near General Thimmaiah Circle demanding the arrest of those mentioned in Vinay’s death note. They also raised slogans against the Congress government in the state.

As a result of the protest which went on for over an hour, traffic was held up for several kilometres in and around Madikeri. Former Speaker K G Bopaiah took SP Ramarajan to task alleging that the police were behaving like Congress agents. He also demanded the immediate arrest of those mentioned in Vinay’s death note.