Who Were the Eight Arrested in the Murder of Hindu Activist Suhas Shetty?

Mangaluru (Karnataka), May 3 (NationPress) — The Karnataka Police have detained eight individuals linked to the assassination of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty in the highly sensitive area of Mangaluru. To curb the risk of further communal unrest, the Karnataka government is establishing an Anti-Communal Task Force.

The Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, revealed during a press briefing on Saturday, alongside senior law enforcement officials and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, the district minister for Mangaluru, that the eight suspects in the Shetty murder case have been apprehended.

Minister Parameshwara noted, “The police will issue more details regarding the arrests. To avert any communal disturbances, an Anti-Communal Task Force will be formed to operate in both Mangaluru and Udupi districts.”

“This task force, led by a senior officer of Inspector General rank, aims to prevent communal discord in the coastal region and is expected to commence operations within two weeks in collaboration with the police,” he added.

When questioned about the apprehension of two Hindu individuals in the Shetty murder case, Parameshwara refrained from commenting.

He stressed that stringent measures would be taken against individuals making inciting statements.

In reference to the recent mob lynching incident in Mangaluru, where a man was reportedly attacked for chanting 'Pakistan Zindabad', Parameshwara mentioned, “In connection with the murder of Kerala resident Mohammad Ashraf, 21 individuals have been arrested. Justice will be served. We will not tolerate any violations of the law, irrespective of religion.”

He reiterated the necessity of preventing such incidents from recurring in the region. “I will ensure the law and order situation in the district remains intact,” he cautioned.

The police have established five specialized teams to track down the perpetrators. The suspects were arrested at various locations within the Mangaluru district, following the acquisition of video evidence that assisted in identifying them, sources confirmed.

The Leader of the Opposition (LoP), R. Ashoka, claimed that just a week prior to the murder, police had cautioned Suhas Shetty against carrying weapons in his vehicle, which had been searched.

“How did this information reach the assailants? If he had been armed, he might have survived. The murder transpired within half a kilometer of police presence, yet no officer responded swiftly,” Ashoka argued.

“In the week leading up to the murder, threats were made stating Suhas Shetty would be killed. Following the murder, messages celebrating the act were circulated,” he added.

Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje and Mangaluru BJP MP Captain Brijesh Chowta have requested 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 ₹25 lakh for Shetty’s family.

BJP MLC C.T. Ravi and other party leaders warned that if law enforcement fails to act decisively, revenge killings will persist in Mangaluru. “There is a collective resolve not to let Suhas’ murderers evade justice,” Ravi stated.

Following Shetty’s murder, multiple stabbing incidents have been reported in the Mangaluru and Udupi districts, leaving the situation tense.

According to investigations, the accused initially rammed a goods vehicle into Shetty's car before a group of attackers in a Swift car emerged with weapons and brutally killed him.

LoP R. Ashoka alleged that members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Karnataka Forum for Dignity were behind Shetty’s assassination.

Suhas Shetty was a member of the Bajrang Dal and was previously implicated in the murder of Mohammad Fazil, a Surathkal resident. Shetty and his associates allegedly killed Fazil in a public setting on July 28, 2022, in retaliation for the murder of BJP youth worker Praveen Kumar Nettaru.

Nettaru, a BJP activist from the same sensitive region, was murdered during the height of the 'hijab' controversy, triggering a wave of revenge killings and multiple stabbing incidents across Karnataka.

Mangaluru has also recently witnessed the mob lynching of Mohammad Ashraf, who was allegedly heard shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” during a cricket tournament.