A contractor who had accused the Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission for a work, was found dead in a lodge in Udupi on Tuesday. Police suspect he died by suicide.

The contractor, Santosh K Patil, who had claimed to be a BJP worker, reportedly sent some messages to a few media houses saying that he was committing suicide and alleged that Eshwarappa was responsible for his death. Opposition Congress demanded the arrest of Eshwarappa and his dismissal from the Cabinet, while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the police will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into Patil’s death. Eshwarappa said he had no information about the suicide.