New Delhi, Dec 30 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday called for a high-level probe through an independent agency into the death of Karnataka Legislative Council Deputy Chairman S L Dharme Gowda, who was found dead on a rail track in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka in the early hours of Tuesday.

In this regard, Mr Birla said, 'Anguished at the sad news of demise of Deputy Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, Shri S L Dharme Gowda. My condolences to his family.

'The unfortunate incident in the House, when he was in Chair, is a serious attack on democracy. It is necessary to have a high level probe through an independent agency into his death. It is duty of all of us to safeguard the prestige of legislative bodies and dignity and freedom of Presiding officers.'

Gowda was found dead on a rail track on a rail track near Gunasagara in Kadur taluk, with police sources claiming that he committed suicide.

On December 15, BJP-JDS and Congress members hurled abuses at each other in the Karnataka Legislative Council and even pushed each other over a row on the no-confidence motion against Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty.

During the ruckus, Gowda was pulled down from the Chair (Chairman’s seat) by some Congress legislators, who accused him of occupying it as Deputy Chairman against rules, as part of BJP’s plan to unseat Shetty, who is from the Congress.

The 64-year-old, a JD(S) MLC, is survived by wife, son and a daughter.

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