In an emotional outburst, Karnataka chief-minister Kumaraswamy landed himself in trouble when he openly told somebody on phone that the murderers of party leader H. Prakash ought to be killed ‘mercilessly’ for committing the murder.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader H. Prakash was attacked by a few goons on Mathur Highway in Mandya District in a scene reminiscent of what is shown in films. The goons chased him and hacked him to death in broad daylight. Prakash breathed his last while he was being rushed to the Hospital.

Chief-minister Kumaraswamy, who arrived at the spot within an hour, was caught on camera by waiting newsmen. When he got a phone call and he spoke over phone, the JD(S) leader was heard saying “He (Prakash) was a good man… I don’t know if he had any enemies…whoever they are (the murderers), they ought to be killed mercilessly in a shoot-out, no problem!”

The video apparently went viral. Condemnations poured in from various quarters but the chief-minister defended what he said describing it as an ‘emotional outburst’ at having lost a close friend. “It was only an outburst and not an order (to kill),” he reasoned it. “It is not uncommon for us to get angry; two of the murderers had recently come out on bail in another case to commit this murder,” he said.