K'taka: Suhas Shetty murdered to avenge Fazil's killing, hints probe

Mangaluru, May 3 (IANS) The investigation into the murder of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty (42) has revealed that the killing was carried out as an act of revenge for the death of Mohammad Fazil, who was allegedly hacked to death by Shetty in 2022. The probe has further revealed the involvement of eight individuals in the crime.

Suhas Shetty, a former Bajrang Dal activist, was killed on May 1. He was the prime accused in the murder of Mohammad Fazil, a resident of Surathkal. Shetty and his associates had allegedly killed Fazil in a public place on July 28, 2022, reportedly in retaliation for the murder of BJP youth worker Praveen Kumar Nettaru.

Nettaru, a BJP activist, was hacked to death during the height of the 'hijab' row. His murder had triggered a series of revenge killings and multiple stabbing incidents across Karnataka. Shetty had been released on bail at the time of his death.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal stated that Fazil’s brother, Adil Meharuf, had conspired to kill Suhas Shetty and had arranged the funds for the execution.

The arrested individuals have been identified as 29-year-old Abdul Safwan, a driver, and 28-year-old Niyaz, both residents of Shathigudde Pejawar village near Bajpe; 31-year-old Kalandar Shafi, from Kursu Gudde, Kalavaru; 32-year-old Mohammad Muzammil, a salesman working in Dubai; 19-year-old Ranjith, a driver from Kalasa in Chikkamagaluru district; 20-year-old Nagaraj, also from Kalasa, who worked at a shamiyana store; 28-year-old Mohammad Rizwan; and Adil Meharuf from Mangaluru.

The Police Commissioner stated: "A total of eight accused have been arrested in the Suhas Shetty murder case. Abdul Safwan is the main accused. He was attacked in 2023 and feared that Suhas Shetty would target him again. He decided to eliminate him first. Safwan contacted Fazil’s brother Adil and hatched a conspiracy to murder Shetty.”

Adil allegedly arranged Rs 5 lakh to finance the killing of Shetty. Accused Ranjith and Nagaraj, who are friends of Niyaz, had stayed at Safwan’s residence for two days, Agarwal said.

The accused had tracked Shetty’s movements on May 1 and attacked him that night, the Commissioner added.

Karnataka Minister for Home, G. Parameshwara, while addressing a joint press conference on Saturday alongside senior police officers and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao -- who is also the district in-charge minister for Mangaluru -- announced that to prevent incidents of communal violence, an Anti-Communal Task Force will be set up to operate in the Mangaluru and Udupi districts.

“The task force, which will be headed by an officer of Inspector General (IG) rank, will work to prevent communal violence in the coastal region and will begin functioning within two weeks. It will operate in coordination with the police department,” he added.

He further emphasised that strict action would be taken against those making provocative statements.

Referring to the recent mob lynching case in Mangaluru, where a man was allegedly attacked for saying "Pakistan Zindabad", HM Parameshwara said, “In connection with the murder of Kerala resident Mohammad Ashraf, the police have arrested 21 individuals. Action will be taken against the guilty. We will not allow anyone -- regardless of religion -- to break the law.”

He reiterated that such incidents must not recur in the region. “I will not allow the law and order situation in the district to deteriorate,” he warned.

The police had formed five special teams to apprehend the killers. All the accused are being interrogated, and they were arrested from various locations within Mangaluru district. Investigators have obtained video footage of the incident, which helped in identifying and apprehending the suspects, sources said.

Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje and Mangaluru BJP MP Captain Brijesh Chowta have appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to transfer the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra has announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for Suhas Shetty’s family.

Multiple stabbing incidents have been reported from the Mangaluru and Udupi districts in the coastal Karnataka region following Shetty’s murder, and the situation remains tense and volatile.

According to the investigation, the accused first rammed a goods vehicle into the car in which Suhas Shetty was moving. Then, a gang of assailants, who were following in a Swift car, emerged with weapons and brutally hacked him to death.

--IANS

mka/pgh