Mandya: Nagendra, a 28-year-old youth, who was allegedly assaulted by supporters of Srirangapatna MLA Ravindra Srikantaiah allegedly hanged himself from a tree at Gobbaragala village under Arakere Police Station limits on Sunday night.

Nagendra was attacked by Dilip, Sridhar and five others. As the news of the death of youth spread like wild fire, tension gripped Gobbaragala and neighbouring villages.

Nagendra, a staunch supporter of former Congress MLA Rameshbabu Bandisiddegowda, was allegedly attacked in a bar by JD(S) workers who claimed to be supporters of Ravindra.

Nagendra was, however, rescued by others in the bar and sent away. Nagendra had allegedly made some negative comments about MLA Ravindra at the bar that had his supporters. A few hours later, around 30 supporters of Ravindra came to Gobbaragala and started a house-to-house search for Nagendra.

Though village elders and Nagendra’s brother Nagesh pleaded with them not to harm Nagendra and forgive him, the mob finally tracked him down and again attacked him in public. Before to leaving the village, the accused even threatened to kill him.

Nagendra, upset at being attacked and abused in front of other villagers, committed suicide. Mandya Police have registered a case against seven miscreants under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC and have launched a manhunt to arrest them.

Meanwhile, Bandisiddegowda said: “Ravindra’s supporters have unleashed terror in Srirangapatna Assembly segment as they attacked our supporters. If my supporters have committed any wrong, let the Police initiate legal action. The MLA’s supporters are brazenly committing crimes and are politically shielded.”

Nagesh, brother of the deceased, said seven people attacked his brother for making comments against MLA Ravindra Srikantaiah. “Though I fell on their feet and appealed them to spare my brother, they continued to thrash him. This made him commit suicide,” he said.

Bandisiddegowda visited Mandya district hospital and consoled the family members. He demanded a probe into the incident and said this was the seventh incident in the past three months. He said they will take to the streets if Congress workers are attacked.