Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, on Wednesday expressed his condolences to the family of the Upper House’s deputy chairman SL Dharme Gowda, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a running train.

Dharme Gowda’s body was found on a railway track at Gunasagar Village of Kadur in Chikkamagaluru in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Om Birla has sought a high-level independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of SL Dharme Gowda.

Birla tweeted, “I am deeply anguished on hearing about the sad news of the death demise of Deputy Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, Shri SL Dharmegowda. I convey my heartfelt condolences to his family.”

कर्नाटक विधानपरिषद उपाध्यक्ष श्री एसएल धर्मगौड़ा के निधन की दुखद खबर से व्यथित हूं। उनके परिवार के प्रति मेरी संवेदनाएं।
पीठासीन अधिकारी के रूप में उनके साथ सदन में हुआ दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटनाक्रम लोकतंत्र की गरिमा पर कठोर आघात है। उनकी मृत्यु की उच्च स्तरीय-निष्पक्ष जांच आवश्यक है।

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) December 30, 2020

“The unfortunate incident that took place in the House, when he was in Chair, is a serious attack on the very fabric of democracy. A high level probe led by an independent agency into his death is very necessary”

कर्नाटक विधानपरिषद उपाध्यक्ष श्री एसएल धर्मगौड़ा के निधन की दुखद खबर से व्यथित हूं। उनके परिवार के प्रति मेरी संवेदनाएं।
पीठासीन अधिकारी के रूप में उनके साथ सदन में हुआ दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटनाक्रम लोकतंत्र की गरिमा पर कठोर आघात है। उनकी मृत्यु की उच्च स्तरीय-निष्पक्ष जांच आवश्यक है।

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) December 30, 2020

“It is the duty of all of us to safeguard the prestige of legislative bodies and dignity and freedom of Presiding officers”

संवैधानिक संस्थाओं की प्रतिष्ठा और पीठासीन अधिकारियों की गरिमा व स्वतंत्रता को अक्षुण्ण बनाए रखना हम सबका दायित्व है।

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) December 30, 2020

SL Dharme Gowda had, about a fortnight back, created a controversy by being part of a no-confidence motion against the Karnataka Legislative Council chairman.

His death note reportedly said that the recent Legislative Council incident, where he was dragged down from the Chair by Congress members, had hurt him a lot.

The reason cited in the death note of the 65-year-old JD(S) leader has created a huge controversy with the BJP and JD(S) leaders pointing fingers at the Congress.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, on Tuesday, had revealed that the Chikkamagaluru Police have found a “suicide note” left behind by Dharme Gowda.

While talking to reporters, Yediyurappa said a lengthy death note left by Gowda has been found. He added that the note is also like a will as it contains details of his “property and other important personal details, therefore, we are not revealing the contents of it at this juncture,” adding that the contents of the note will be revealed once the Karnataka Police conclude their investigation into the matter.

Karnataka Home minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “In the death note, Dharme Gowda has mentioned several sensitive matters which the police want to probe in detail. Only then the real scenario that led to such an extreme stem can be revealed.”

(With agency inputs)