Preliminary investigation into the suicide of Karnataka Deputy Superintendent of Police MK Ganapathy revealed that a nexus between state political leaders and senior police officers forced him to kill himself. Ganapathy was found hanging from a ceiling fan at a lodge in Madikeri, Kodagu district, on Thursday. In his suicide note that was recovered from the room, Ganapathy had named Karnataka Minister for Development and Town Planning KJ George, his son and senior officers of forcing him to take his life, News18 reported.

Hours before he committed suicide, Ganapathy had accused senior police officers, George and his son of harassing him. In an interview to a local TV channel, the 51-year-old had said that if anything happened to him, the Congress minister, Lokayukta Inspector General of Police Pranab Mohanty and Additional Deputy General of Police (Intelligence) AM Prasad would be responsible, The Times of India reported.

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Ganapathy, a state cadre from the 1991 batch, was accused of being involved in multiple encounters and suspended a number of times in the last six years, according to The Hindu. He entered the police service under sports quota.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress minister of high-handedness and sought George's termination. “Death of Ganapathy is evidence that honest officers have no safety in Karnataka, as far as this government is concerned,” said party leader Jagdish Shettar. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he has ordered an investigation into the case by the Crime Investigation Department.

This is the second case of a police officer committing suicide in Karnataka this week. On Tuesday, Kalappa Handibagh, the deputy superintendent of police of Chikkamagaluru who was accused of taking a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to release a man involved in gambling, committed suicide in Muragod village. Handibagh had reportedly gone missing after a case was lodged against him on Monday.