Mangaluru (Karnataka), May 1 (NationPress) The coastal city of Mangaluru in Karnataka, known for its communal sensitivity, is currently facing heightened tensions following the assassination of a Hindu activist on Thursday. The victim has been identified as Suhas Shetty.

According to police reports, a group of four attackers brutally murdered Suhas Shetty using machetes and swords.

Suhas Shetty was affiliated with the Bajrang Dal and was the primary suspect in the murder of Mohammad Fazil, a resident of Suratkal. Shetty and his accomplices had allegedly killed Fazil in a public area on July 28, 2022, as retaliation for the earlier murder of BJP activist Praveen Kumar Nettaru.

Praveen Kumar Nettaru, a BJP worker from the same sensitive region, was also murdered amidst the unrest surrounding the 'hijab' controversy. This incident took place in Bellare near Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district. Nettaru's murder led to a series of revenge killings and multiple stabbing incidents throughout the state.

Suhas Shetty had recently been released on bail in the Fazil murder case. After the assault, locals transported him to A.J. Hospital in Mangaluru, where he later succumbed to his wounds. A significant number of Hindu activists gathered at the hospital, leading to a heavy police presence.

BJP MLA Y. Bharat Shetty and former BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel rushed to the hospital immediately following the incident.

The murder allegedly occurred in the Kinnipadavu area under the Bajpe Police Station. Sources indicate that police have obtained video evidence of the attack.

Further information regarding this incident is awaited, and authorities are closely monitoring the escalating situation.

Recently, Mangaluru experienced a mob lynching involving a man from Kerala named Mohammad Ashraf, who was allegedly heard shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' during a cricket match.

Police are investigating a potential connection between Suhas Shetty's murder and this incident.

With these recent events, the coastal region of Karnataka remains on high alert.

Previously, revenge killings had devastated the area and the entire state. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had to exert considerable effort to ease the anger of Hindu activists following Nettaru's murder in 2022.

The BJP government's hesitance to visit the family of revenge killing victim Mohammad Fazil raised eyebrows. While BJP leaders visited Praveen's home to announce government compensation, they made no mention of Fazil.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently investigating the murder of Praveen Kumar Nettaru.

The NIA, which is examining the case, has submitted a charge sheet against 20 suspects to the NIA Special Court in Bengaluru. This charge sheet comprises 1,500 pages, including statements from 240 witnesses.