IAS Officer’s Death: Protests Turn Violent in Karnataka, Police Resorts to Lathicharge

NEW DELHI: Violent protests took place across Karnataka today over the question of a CBI probe into the death of IAS officer DK Ravi. In Bangalore, the protesters of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad — the student wing of the BJP — were lathicharged by the police. In Tumkur too, the mob clashed with the police.
The opposition BJP and JDS, which are holding an indefinite protest at the assembly, said they will take their demand to Governor Vajubhai Vala. The protesting lawmakers have spent two consecutive nights at the Assembly.

Sources told NDTV that the Union home minister, Rajnath Singh, has spoken to Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and advised that the state opt for a CBI inquiry.

Despite the rising public anger, Mr Siddaramaiah has said no to the demand for a CBI probe from various quarters. While an online petition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been signed by 13.5 lakh people, including the state’s IAS officers, the lawmakers of opposition BJP and the JDS are on an indefinite dharna at the state assembly.Yesterday, Union Law Minister Sadananda Gowda, who was also a former chief minister of Karnataka, met the Home Minister about the issue, and called for a CBI probe.
The case is currently with the state Criminal Investigation Department, which, Mr Siddaramaiah said, was “perfectly capable” of handling it.

Karnataka’s Kolar, where Mr Ravi took on the sand mafia, had seen widespread protests after his death, which the police said, was a prima facie case of suicide. The 36-year-old officer was found hanging at his flat in Bengaluru on Monday.

“There are attempts from some quarters to assassinate the character of the IAS officer,” news agency Press Trust of India quoted M Madana Gopal, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment, Forest and Ecology) as saying. “We won’t allow attempts to kill Ravi for second time.”

Mr Ravi’s father-in-law Hanumantharayappa, at whose home the officer had spent the weekend, alleged that he had told him he was “being targeted” by a particular group.

Last year, Ravi was deputed to the Commercial Tax department. He was investigating real estate majors and big jewellers for alleged tax evasion and had conducted several big raids.

Mr Ravi’s parents, who sat on a dharna yesterday after conducting the last rites, have threatened to commit suicide unless justice was done.