MGP leader kills self, last message names minister's brother

An MGP leader allegedly shot himself dead here on Friday morning, with the police claiming that he blamed two persons including the brother of a minister in the Goa government in a message before his death.

Prakash Naik, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly election from St Cruz seat on the ticket of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, was found dead at his residence in Merces village. He had multiple bullet wounds, police said.

BJP leader and St Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes said Naik, who was in his late 50s, was brought dead to the Goa Medical College and Hospital which is 4 km away from Merces.

A senior police officer investigating the case said that in a message posted on a WhatsApp group little before killing himself, Naik held two persons responsible for his decision.

One of them is the elder brother of a senior minister in the Pramod Sawant-led government, he said.

Though the police had not registered a case of abetment of suicide against anybody yet, the minister's brother would be questioned alongwith others, the officer said.

Naik purportedly said in the message that he was being "blackmailed" and "harassed" by the two men.

Goa Forward Party, a former ally of the ruling BJP, demanded "impartial" and "transparent" inquiry into the death.

GFP vice president Durgadas Kamat said there was "growing criminalization of politics", and the police should not bow down to any political pressure while probing the case.