BANGALURU: IAS officer DK Ravi, who had taken on the sand mafia as deputy commissioner of Kolar district, allegedly committed suicide on Monday. The body of the 35-year-old was found in his official apartment last evening.Ravi was currently posted as Karnataka’s Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Enforcement).
“Prime facie it appears to be a case of suicide, as Ravi’s body was found hanging from a ceiling fan,” Police Commissioner MN Reddi told reporters.Ravi, a 2009 batch IAS officer, was posted as additional commissioner in the commercial tax department since November 2014 following his transfer from Kolar where he was deputy commissioner.
“Though we learnt about death late in the evening from his family members, Ravi could have committed suicide any time after 11 am, as he did not respond to calls since then. He was alone at home at that time,” Reddi said.
The Bengaluru Police have set up a three-member Special Investigation Team headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Rohini Katoch to probe the case.
When Ravi’s wife learnt that he did not go to office till lunch time and was not taking calls since noon, two-three department officials went to the apartment late afternoon to check if he was at home.
“As there was no response from inside, the flat was opened with a duplicate key his wife had,” Reddi said.The officials and Ravi’s wife were shocked to see him hanging with a piece of cloth tied to the fan.
Ruling out foul play from the circumstances under which Ravi’s body was found, Reddi said a forensic science team had visited the spot and conducted preliminary investigation for clues.No suicide note was, however, found.
Police will check Ravi’s mobile records, entries in the reception office of the apartment, which is in a gated community, and footage of the CCTV cameras in the vicinity to find out who all visited the place in the day earlier or recently.
“I have spoken to (Police) Commissioner and have asked him to investigate the matter completely,” Karnataka Home Minister KJ George told reporters.George, who visited the spot, however, did not comment on the nature and possible reasons behind the death.
“It has to be investigated… All angles will be looked into,” he said when asked about reports that the officer faced threats to his life.
Ravi’s work as Kolar Deputy Commissioner, especially action against the sand mafia, had earned him good name among the people, different organisations and citizens’ groups who had called a district bandh following his transfer.
Meanwhile, a bandh has been called in Kolar in response to DK Ravi’s death.

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