BJP worker ends life, blames Congman in note

Bengaluru: A 40-year-old BJP worker, who was facing a police case over a WhatsApp post against a Congress MLA, was found hanging at his office in a private company in Nagawara, near Hennur, north Bengaluru, on Friday morning.

Vinay KS alias Vinay Somaiah, a resident of HBR Layout and from Kodagu, worked as operations manager in the company. He uploaded a note on social media, accusing a Congress functionary from Kodagu, Tennera Maina, of abetting his suicide by filing an FIR against him in February.

According to the post, Vinay was one of the administrators of a WhatsApp group where a member commented against Congress MLA from Virajpet, AS Ponnana, who is also the CM's legal adviser, during a discussion on problems of Kodagu.

Ponnanna distanced himself from the controversy, saying he had no knowledge of Vinay. He accused BJP of continuously spreading "false propaganda".

BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the case and sought action against those allegedly responsible for Vinay's suicide. In Kodagu, BJP members staged a demonstration and blocked Gen KS Thimayya Circle in Madikeri town.

According to Vinay's friends and relatives, based on the comments and the post, Maina registered a criminal case against Vinay and others. His friends stated that although Somaiah was granted anticipatory bail by a Bengaluru court, he became "demoralised" by the legal action taken against him.

Vinay's elder brother, Jeevan KS, filed a complaint against Tennera Maina and others for abetting the suicide of Vinay, who has left behind a wife and a minor daughter.

Hennur police registered an FIR against Tennera Maina and others under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

"Vinay told me that though he got a stay on the FIR from the high court, Maina and police continued to harass my brother. Vinay often told me police were questioning his friends, relatives, and others, asking what they know about Vinay. Also, police threatened that they would add Vinay's name to the rowdy list. Unable to bear the torture and harassment by Maina and others, Vinay ended his life. We seek legal action against them," Jeevan, a resident of Varthur, stated in the FIR.

Vinay's last post read: "My last namaskar to all. Someone posted a topic on problems and solutions of Kodagu in our WhatsApp group, to which I was made an admin five days earlier. Targeting me and others for the comments, a politically motivated FIR was registered. Then, Maina made wide publicity of the FIR, saying I was a goon. Maina is not only abetting my suicide. There is another suicide reported on the day when his wife was admitted to a hospital. Ask him what connection he and his wife had with the suicide. Police were telling my relatives and friends that an MLA is pressuring them to act against me. I request all BJP men to help my family morally and economically after my death. And my suicide should be a lesson to those adopting revenge politics and filing false cases."

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