Harassment: Youth commits suicide

Residents of Kittane village broke the glass panes of a tractor showroom and tried to break open the lock in the city on Saturday, following the death of a youth.

The villagers wanted to stage dharna by keeping the dead body in front of the showroom, but the cops denied permission. The protesters called off their stir after the police pacified them. Venkatesh (23) of Kittane village had consumed poison on Wednesday, succumbed at a private hospital on Saturday morning.

The father of deceased held the staff of the tractor showroom responsible for his son’s death. As the news spread, the villagers came in vehicles, staged dharna in front of the showroom and also broke the glass panes of the showroom.

Rangegowda, father of the deceased said “two years ago, Venkatesh had purchased tractor from the showroom. The company had financed  ` 80,000 for the vehicle, as he fell short of the total amount. But he had failed to pay installments in the last few months.

On Wednesday, the showroom staff took Venkatesh to Hassan under the pretext of registration of the vehicle. Venkatesh’s friend, Yogesh too had accompanied him. Both Venkatesh and Yogesh were were beaten up black and blue by some persons of the showroom. Dejected over this, Venkatesh consumed poison”.

Holding the showroom staff responsible for the youth’s death, the villagers came to the city to stage a dharna. But the  doors of the showroom had remained closed. Upset over this, they pelted stones and broke the glass panes. They also made a futile bid to break the lock. Their efforts to stage dharna along with the dead body was foiled by the police.