Protests continue over IAS officer's death

Opposition parties continued their dharna for the third day on Thursday in the state assembly, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the mysterious death of an upright IAS officer, forcing its adjournment till March 23, as protests over the death persisted across the state.

As the assembly met, BJP and JDS members, continuing their round-the-clock dharna for the third day, raised slogans insisting on a CBI probe, as government remained unrelenting in its stand that CID was competent enough to do it.

Amid the din, a bill was introduced and a condolence message read out over the passing away of Tulu language film actor Tailor, with the opposition members remaining in the well of the House.

Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande said the government would ensure a "transparent" inquiry into the death of D K Ravi, who was found hanging from a ceiling fan at a room in his apartment on Monday evening.

Government has maintained that it was prima facie a case of suicide, but the opposition parties and the family of the IAS officer have refused to accept the theory and are seeking a probe by CBI.

Opposition BJP leader Jagadish Shettar said the House was not in order but as the ruckus continued, Speaker Kagodu Thimappa abruptly announced adjournment of the House till Monday.

Joining hands, BJP and JDS MLAs staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue near the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, holding placards and shouting slogans demanding a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, protests continued in Bengaluru and Tumakuru, the district from which Ravi hailed.

In Tumakuru, ABVP students blocked a national highway demanding a CBI investigation but were chased away by police who made a mild lathicharge. The district is also observing a bandh on Thursday in response to a call given by various organisations.

Students of Agricultural University in Bengaluru, where Ravi graduated in agriculture, also marched in a procession seeking "justice" and a CBI probe into the death of Ravi.

The family of Ravi has alleged that there was "political pressure" and it was not suicide but a murder which should be probed only by CBI.

Several IAS officers in the state have also signed an online petition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking inquiry by the central agency.

Thirty-five-year-old Ravi, Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Enforcement), was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at his flat in Bangalore on Monday, with police suspecting it to be prima facie a case of suicide.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP B S Yeddyurappa said the party will seek permission from Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to raise the issue in Lok Sabha.

He asked why the Congress government of the state is "hesitating" to refer the matter to CBI when parents of Ravi have been holding demonstrations seeking a probe by the central agency.

"It's high time that the state government takes a decision and hand it over to CBI," Yeddyurappa said.

Ananth Kumar, an MP from Bangalore, had on Wednesday alleged that the Bengaluru police commissioner was pre-judging the death of Ravi by announcing it as suicide.