Did Karnataka Police Register 12 Cases Over Social Media Posts Related to Suhas Shetty's Murder?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Karnataka Police registered 12 cases over social media posts related to Suhas Shetty's murder.
- Prohibitory orders are in place in Mangaluru until May 6.
- The region has experienced increased communal tensions following Shetty's murder.
- Security measures have been intensified in Mangaluru and Chikkamagaluru.
- Investigations are ongoing regarding links between recent violence and previous murders.
Mangaluru, May 3 (NationPress) The Karnataka Police have initiated legal actions by registering 12 cases concerning social media posts that either incited revenge for the murder of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty or seemed to celebrate the act, according to police reports on Saturday.
The First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged at various police stations throughout the region, including Mangaluru North, Mangaluru South, Mulki, Urwa, Barke, Moodabidri, and Kavoor.
As reported by the police, these provocative posts—widely circulated on platforms like Instagram and Facebook—have heightened communal tensions in this sensitive coastal area.
Some posts featured phrases such as: “We will not allow Suhas Shetty's sacrifice to be in vain,” “If we don’t demonstrate our strength, we won’t survive,” and “Blood must answer blood.”
Another post showcased a photograph of Shetty with the word “Finished” alongside the caption “Next wicket will be taken soon,” leading to further legal action.
In light of these developments, the police have enforced prohibitory orders in Mangaluru until May 6 to avert any potential unrest.
The area, which experienced a bandh on May 2, is gradually returning to normalcy. Private buses, the primary means of transportation, have resumed operations, and shops are reopening amid heightened security.
Security measures have also been strengthened in the neighboring Chikkamagaluru district, with a high alert issued and vehicle inspections intensified at the Kottigehara Check Post.
Reports indicate that two suspects detained in connection with Shetty's murder hail from Chikkamagaluru.
Karnataka's Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, visited Mangaluru on Saturday to assess the situation. He engaged with Muslim leaders associated with the Congress party, accompanied by Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who also oversees the district.
Sources indicate the Muslim leaders expressed strong indignation regarding the recent mob lynching incident.
The region has witnessed several stabbing incidents following Shetty's murder, with reports indicating that members of minority communities have been targeted.
Suhas Shetty, a member of the Bajrang Dal, was the primary suspect in the murder of Mohammad Fazil, a resident of Surathkal.
Fazil was reportedly killed in July 2022 as a retaliation for the murder of BJP youth worker Praveen Kumar Nettaru, which had triggered a series of revenge killings and communal strife throughout Karnataka.
Further tensions escalated following the recent mob lynching of Mohammad Ashraf, a man from Kerala accused of shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” during a cricket match.
The police are currently investigating any possible connections between Ashraf’s lynching and Shetty’s murder.