Policemen patrol on a road as Section 144 has been imposed by the authorities to prevent any violence in Shivamogga.
Highlights
- A taskforce has been formed to track down the criminals involved in the killing
- Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said four to five men are suspected to be involved in the murder
- The administration has clamped prohibitory orders and announced holiday for schools and colleges
At least three persons have been arrested from Karnataka's Shivamogga district in connection with the murder of a Bajrang Dal activist. According to police, a taskforce has been formed to track down the criminals behind the incident that has triggered tension, leading to the closure of schools and colleges.
"Our priority is to find them out and get them punished. We request people to cooperate with us and not to act emotionally," Police Superintendent of Police B M Lakshmi Prasad told reporters.
According to Karnataka's Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, who met the family members of the victim, identified as Harsha, four to five men are suspected to be involved in the killing.
“We have already got a clue, but I cannot share much as the investigation is underway. The satisfactory part is that we know who did it and they will be apprehended soon. There were around four-five people. We will give a stern message through this case," he said.
Tension has gripped Shivamogga after a Bajrang Dal activist was stabbed to death, prompting the administration to clamp prohibitory orders for two days and announce a holiday for schools and colleges. Vehicles were set on fire and isolated incidents of stone-pelting were also reported, prompting the police to use tear gas to disperse protesters.
The deceased was attacked by unidentified assailants on Sunday night at the Ravi Varma lane in Bharathi Colony. Notably, the town, around 250 km from the state capital Bengaluru, had recently seen disruption in some colleges over the hijab row. The reason behind the killing is not immediately known.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters that he is hopeful about the arrest of the culprits soon. "The investigation has begun and some vital clues have been found. We are hopeful that soon the murderers would be arrested," Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru.
He said he has given directions to police to ensure that no untoward incident happens anywhere. "I want to tell the people of Shivamogga that we have taken steps to arrest the murderers at the earliest. No one should fall prey to the rumours. They should maintain law and order," Bommai said.
Karnataka's Rural Development Minister KS Eshwarappa blamed Congress' state unit chief DK Shivakumar for instigating the killing with comments he had made at the height of the hijab protests. He said "Muslim goons murdered him".
"He was a very good worker. He was a young man who was honest. Last night, Muslim goons murdered him. Recently, DK Shivakumar claimed that the national flag was replaced with saffron flag, and around 50 lakh saffron shawls was ordered from a factory in Surat for the anti-hijab protest. The goondaism has increased after he made these statements. We will not allow this goondaism to continue. We will extend all the help that we can to the man's family," Eshwarappa said.
Meanwhile, security has been stepped up in Shivamogga after incidents of arson.
READ MORE: Bajrang Dal activist death: 'Muslim goons have killed him,' alleges Karnataka Minister
