Karnataka panchayat poll candidate commits suicide during polling

Dharwad (Karnataka), Dec 22 (IANS) A candidate contesting the Karnataka Gram Panchayat polls committed suicide at his home in Garag village of the state's Dharwad district on Tuesday, police said.According to the police, the deceased, identified as Damaodar Yeligar, 25, was contesting elections from ward number two of the Garag gram panchayat.Yeligar, after casting his vote, returned home and went to his room. When family members saw the door closed for a long time, they knocked but did not get a response.Suspecting something amiss, a family member broke open the door and found him hanging from the ceiling, the police said.Police said that they have recovered a suicide note from the spot but did not disclose its contents or the reasons behind his suicide. A case was registered and investigations are on.Garag village is famous for hand-woven khadi national flags. A centre was established at Garag in 1954 by a few freedom fighters under the banner of the Dharwad Taluk Kshetriya Seva Sangh and obtained the Centre's licence to make flags. It is still the only place in India where hand-woven national flags are made.
--IANS nbh/vd