Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council SL Dharme Gowda was found dead on a railway track near Gunasagar in Kadur taluk late in the night on Monday, The Hindu reported.
It is suspected to be suicide. A death note was found beside him, the details of which cannot be given out, said inspector general of police (west)
The leader had left his farmhouse at Ayyanakere near Sakharayapatna town with his driver Dharmaraj on Monday evening. At around 6:15 PM, he asked Dharmaraj to stop near Gunasagar and wait till he returned. Seeing no sign of him, and upon finding the mobile phone switched off, Dharmaraj called his personal staff who filed a complaint with the police. The body was found around midnight.
Though not confirmed, leaders have claimed that Dharme Gowda was affected by the recent scuffle at the Karnataka Vidhan Parishad over the passing of the Beef Ban.
He had been the chair for the heated session that saw Congress and BJP Members arguing around him, leading to him being manhandled and pulled off the chair by some of the Congress members.
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Condolences Pouring In
Former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader H D Devegowda expressed his condolences, saying that his death was a loss to the state, reminiscing him as a gentleman politician.
ವಿಧಾನಪರಿಷತ್ ಉಪಸಭಾಪತಿ, @Janatadal_S ಪಕ್ಷದ ಹಿರಿಯ ಮುಖಂಡರು ಹಾಗೂ ನನ್ನ ಸಹೋದರರಂತಿದ್ದ ಎಸ್.ಎಲ್.ಧರ್ಮೇಗೌಡರ ಆತ್ಮಹತ್ಯೆ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತೀವ್ರ ಆಘಾತವನ್ನುಂಟುಮಾಡಿದೆ. ನಿಷ್ಕಲ್ಮಶ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವದ ಸಜ್ಜನ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಯೊಬ್ಬರನ್ನು ನಾವು ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಧರ್ಮೇಗೌಡರ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಮತ್ತು ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಈ ನೋವು ಭರಿಸುವ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಭಗವಂತ ಕರುಣಿಸಲಿ.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) December 29, 2020
JD(S) leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said in a tweet that Dharme Gowda was like a brother to him. “His death has caused a shock to me. He was an upright politician.”
ವಿಧಾನಪರಿಷತ್ ಉಪಸಭಾಪತಿ, @Janatadal_S ಪಕ್ಷದ ಹಿರಿಯ ಮುಖಂಡರು ಹಾಗೂ ನನ್ನ ಸಹೋದರರಂತಿದ್ದ ಎಸ್.ಎಲ್.ಧರ್ಮೇಗೌಡರ ಆತ್ಮಹತ್ಯೆ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತೀವ್ರ ಆಘಾತವನ್ನುಂಟುಮಾಡಿದೆ. ನಿಷ್ಕಲ್ಮಶ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವದ ಸಜ್ಜನ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಯೊಬ್ಬರನ್ನು ನಾವು ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಧರ್ಮೇಗೌಡರ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಮತ್ತು ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಈ ನೋವು ಭರಿಸುವ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಭಗವಂತ ಕರುಣಿಸಲಿ.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) December 29, 2020
Many leaders from Congress, BJP and JD(S) have come forward to express their condolences.
SL Dharme gowda is survived by his wife Mamatha, son Sonal SD and daughter Saloni SD.
