Dy SP Madapanda K Ganapathi who ended his life in Madikeri on Thursday has blamed former home minister K.J. George and a couple of senior police officers for allegedly harassing him.
Ganapathi (51), a native of Rangasamudra near Kushalanagar in Kodagu district, was attached to the office of the Inspector General of Police (Western Range) in Mangaluru.
According to reports, Ganapathi went to Madikeri from Mangaluru on Thursday morning and rented a room at Vinayak Lodge near the KSRTC bus-stand. Around noon, he left the lodge in full uniform and went to a private local TV channel studio and gave an interview. During the interview, Ganapathi reportedly said that ADGP (intelligence) A M Prasad, DIG Pranab Mohanty and former home minister K J George were harassing him and he faced a life threat from them.
Later, he returned to the lodge and hung himself from a ceiling fan, still in uniform. He reportedly left a suicide note, in which he is said to have blamed prominent politicians and senior police officers for the extreme step.
The suicide note reportedly alleged that an officer was harassing him by seeking money for giving him a clean chit in a church related case which Ganapathy handled seven years ago.
Ganapathi was promoted to the rank of DySP barely three months ago. He was the inspector at the Kadri station during the 2008 church attacks.
Former Director General and Inspector General of Police Shankar M Bidari said: “Ganapathi was an honest, gallant and capable officer. He had abiding concern for peace, well-being and security of all people in his jurisdiction. He had all the commendable and admirable qualities of any officer and gentleman hailing from Coorg. It is really a shameful that such an honest and gallant officer is driven to a situation wherein he is disgusted to such an extent that he committed suicide.”
During his tenure as police inspector at Yeshwanthpur police station in 2010, Ganapathi was reportedly involved in a controversial encounter.
Meanwhile, BJP workers took out a procession in Madikeri demanding the resignation of minister George and action against police officers named in the suicide note.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department into the suicide. Minister George has refuted the allegations made against him by the police officer.
Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar has sought the resignation of minister George and action against the police officers named in the suicide note. Shettar added that he would raise the issue in the Assembly.
Ganapathi’s wife and two sons left for Kodagu from Mangaluru.
