CHIKKAMAGALURU, SHIVAMOGGA: Karnataka woke up to a shocking news on Tuesday as deputy chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council S L Dharme Gowda allegedly died by suicide at Gunasagar village between Birur and Kadur at 2 am.
Sources said that last night, he went out along with his driver and asked his driver to wait near Gunasagar.
As he did not return, the escort, the driver and his family members informed the police. His body was found at the track at 2 am on Tuesday.
SP MH Akshay, MLA CT Ravi and MLC and his brother SL Bhoje Gowda visited the spot.
Dharme Gowda was at the centre of the high drama in the legislative council on December 15, which saw BJP-JD(S) and Congress members hurling abuses and pushing each other.
Hailing from Sarpanahalli in Sakarapatna limits, he is the son of former JDS MLA Late SR Lashmaiah. He was Bilikallahalli gram panchayat member and president.
He was also a ZP member from Lingadahalli segment. Later he became an MLA from Birur in 2004, but the Birur assembly constituency was dropped in the reorganisation of constituencies sometime after.
JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda, former CM HD Kumaraswamy, CM BS Yediyurappa, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, CT Ravi and others have condoled his death while Yediyurappa is arriving in Kadur at 2 pm today.
JDS leaders are likely to arrive in Chikkamagaluru. His body has been brought to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga for postmortem.
He leaves behind a wife, a son and a daughter and a brother SL Bhoje Gowda.
In his death note, it is learnt that he had asked his son to complete the house recently bought in the Kalinganagar CDA Layout.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA's 24x7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.