Bullet-Holes OnThe Sandalwood

The former minister’s family as well as the Opposition parties have demanded a CBI inquiry. In fact, Nagappa’s kin intend to meet President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, when he visits Mysore on December 27, to push for the probe. Besides, a large number of seers from the Veerashaiva community, to which Nagappa belonged, are meeting on January 9 to make the same demand.

The state government has not made public the autopsy report and has also decided not to join issue with Tamil Nadu CM J. Jayalalitha on the controversial "encounter". On Monday, the state cabinet, after a debate, decided to institute a judicial probe. According to minister for law and parliamentary affairs D.B. Chandre Gowda, "the inquiry will be different from the one being undertaken by the police".

Whatever the truth, the decision to probe Nagappa’s death will further widen the divide between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.