The government on Thursday ordered a probe by officials of the Home and Transport departments into the episode of an attempt to suicide by a KSRTC driver-cum-conductor of Nagamangala taluk, H.R. Jagadish, after he was transferred, allegedly at the behest of district in-charge Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy for political reasons.
The probe was ordered after the Opposition Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP together resorted to a dharna demanding the resignation of Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy on the grounds that the driver/conductor had accused him of being responsible for his transfer in a note before the suicide attempt.
The issue was raised by BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai and elaborated by JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy. There was angry exchange of words on the issue between Mr. Kumaraswamy on one side and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy on the other. All three leaders, who were once together in the JD(S), exchanged barbs in the singular.
