Mysuru: BJP worker found dead under mysterious circumstances, party cries murder

A BJP worker, who is also a RSS activist, was found dead under mysterious circumstances near Magali in Mysuru district with his family and the party alleging that it was a murder.

The body of Magali Ravi, in his early 30's, with head injuries was found on Friday night, police said, suspecting that an accident might have caused his death, as there were scratch marks on the road and his two-wheeler.

"The incident leading to his death has occurred around 8.30pm, prima facie it looks like an accident. However, the family and others suspect it to be a murder, investigation is on, we will be looking at all aspects," Additional SP, Mysuru, Kala Krishnaswamy told PTI.

Ravi's father Jawarappa said it looked as though some one had attacked on his head using a machete. "It is a murder," he said.

Following the series of incidents where several party and the Sangh parivar activists have been killed in the state and other parts of the country, BJP suspects Ravi's death also to be a murder.

Claiming that the incident has happened when Ravi was returning after attending a peace meeting called by police in the wake of Tipu Jayanti, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha said, "his mysterious death is nothing but a murder." Tipu Jayanti is slated to be celebrated across the state on November 10. Stressing that Ravi was also a RSS activist, state BJP President BS Yeddyurappa in a statement said, "his murder is in line with series of killings of activists belonging to pro-Hindu organisations."

Linking his death to Tipu Jayanti celebration related controversy, he said since the beginning, BJP has been opposed to such celebrations by the state government.

The Congress government's decision to observe the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, 18th century ruler of erstwhile Mysore kingdom, has stirred a major row, with opinion sharply divided among intellectuals, academia and various communities and organisations, who have differing views on his reign. BJP and RSS have been strongly opposing the event.

Rudresh (35), a RSS worker, was allegedly hacked to death by two motorcycle-borne men on October 16. He was with his friends after attending a Sangh event when the incident occurred.