Former director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Subbanna Ayyappan was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Cauvery River near Srirangapatna, Karnataka, on Saturday.
His scooter was found parked near the river, and police suspect he may have jumped into the water. His body was recovered three days after he was reported missing.
Dr. Ayyappan, who lived in Mysuru with his wife, was reported missing on May 7 after his family lodged a complaint with the Vidyaranyapuram Police Station, according to India Today.
Police noted that he often meditated at the Saibaba ashram, located on the Cauvery River banks in Srirangapatna.
The Srirangapatna Police have filed a case and are investigating what led to his death.
Dr. Subbanna Ayyappan, a pioneer of India’s ‘Blue Revolution’, created new and better ways to farm fish that improved rural livelihoods and food systems.
In recognition of these far-reaching contributions, he was conferred the Padma Shri in 2022.
He led major institutions such as the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) in Bhubaneswar and the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) in Mumbai. He was also the first chief executive of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) in Hyderabad and later became Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India.
Later in his career, he also led the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Central Agricultural University (CAU) in Imphal.
His unexpected death has left the agricultural and scientific communities in shock, with many calling for a thorough investigation.
Venugopal Badaravada, a former member of ICAR's Governing Body, called for a court-monitored CBI investigation in this matter, saying, "The conditions surrounding his untimely death are deeply troubling. His scooter was found abandoned, and the cause of his death remains unclear. These circumstances demand a court-monitored CBI investigation".
According to a PTI report, Badaravada wrote separate letters to PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the tragic event reveals "deep-rooted corruption, irregular appointments, and abuse of power within ICAR, ASRB (Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board), and affiliated institutions".
Badaravada also criticised ICAR for "unlawfully" removing him from the governing body on May 5 through "a one-sided office order without conducting a serious inquiry".
"This unlawful removal reflects a dangerous trend within ICAR, silencing whistleblowers while shielding entrenched corruption," he claimed.
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