Another top cop commits suicide in Karnataka; won't quit, open for probe, says minister

51-year-old Ganaptahi has left behind a suicide note in which he had blamed Bengaluru Development and Town Planning Minister KJ George, his son Rana George and a senior cop.

Bengaluru: Just three days after the alleged suicide of a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Karnataka's Belagavi town, another senior ranking police officer has now ended his life by hanging in the Kodagu district.

The Karnataka Police investigating the matter said on Friday that MK Ganapathy was found dead in a lodge from where a suicide note was found.

Though the contents of the suicide letter are yet to be revealed, it is being speculated that the young officer took the extreme step owing to pressure and harassment from a senior politician from the ruling Congress party.

"We found the body of deputy superintendent of police MK Ganapathy, 51, hanging by rope to a ceiling fan in a lodge room. He was in uniform with service revolver around the waist," IANS quoted Kodagu district Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad as saying.

Sources, however, indicate that he had named a senior minister KJ George in the Siddharamaiah cabinet, his influential son and also a senior police officer, suggesting there was political pressure that led to the death.

Ganapathy was transferred to Mangaluru Inspector General Police office, about 360 km from Bengaluru, in May.

When quizzed, George said that he won't step down as minister but is ready for any investigation against him.

Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah today said that he has already ordered a CID probe into the matter.

On Tuesday, Kallappa Handibagh, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Chikkamagaluru, who was accused of taking Rs. 10 lakh as bribe to release a man involved in gambling, was found dead at his relative's place at Muragod in Belagavi. He was declared dead at KLE hospital.

Reports said he had gone missing after a case was lodged against him on Monday.