Three murders in Karnataka take communal turn, police on high alert

After the hijab crisis, boycott call for Muslim traders and the killing of Bajrang Dal activist, the murder of three youths in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada is flaring up communal reactions

After the hijab crisis, boycott call for Muslim traders and the killing of Bajrang Dal activist, the murder of three youths in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada is now flaring up the communal reactions.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped and the state police department is crossing its fingers over the developments. The killing spree started when 18-year-old B. Masood was attacked by eight persons in a road rage case in the Kalanja village in Sullia taluk on July 20. He succumbed to injuries on July 21. The Bellare police investigating the Masood murder case arrested all the eight accused.

On July 26, bike-borne miscreants attacked BJP activist 31-year-old Praveen Kumar Nettare in Bellare town in front of his shop and hacked him to death. The police have arrested two accused and detained more than 20 people.

Before the coastal region come to terms with murders, a gang of miscreants hacked 23-year-old Fazil Mangalpet in front of a cloth shop in Surathkal town. The CCTV footage of murder went viral and raised concern over the developments.

According to sources, all the three murders were a result of revenge killing. Masood's murder in road rage triggered killing of Praveen, police said. Praveen was helping the jailed the accused persons (in case of Masood murder) and hence was targeted by the miscreants, police said.

Following the murder of Praveen, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had cancelled celebration of his one-year term in the office. He visited Praveen's family and issued a cheque of Rs 25 lakh as compensation from the government. The party had given Rs 25 lakh separately.

The act of Bommai not visiting the family of Masood, who resided 5 kilometers away from Praveen's family, was objected to. Masood's family has not got any compensation till date and the family says that the district authorities promised to take care of medical bills.

Former Minister and Congress MLA U.T. Khader said that he did not have any trust in the ruling BJP government. "The government should act and uphold justice in an unbiased way. The culprits should be arrested and punished. Peace has to be established in Mangaluru region."

"The murder of Fazil took place when CM Bommai visited Mangaluru. When there is no trust in the government, people take law into their hands." Khader underlined that CM Bommai did not visit Masood's family.

Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) District President Abubakkar Kulai blamed the RSS and BJP for the killings Reacting on Fazil's murder, Kulai said, "An innocent has been killed by men with the background of RSS. The BJP government is ruling over the dead bodies."

He further alleged that there are political forces behind the murders. There are three murders in Dakshina Kannada district, no one raised their voice on the murder of Masood. CM Bommai paid visit only to Praveen's family and did not bother to meet the family of Masood, Kulai stated.

The police department is requesting management of the mosques, which come in the regions where prohibitory orders are in place in Dakshina Kannada district, to avoid any disturbance to law and order. The police are requesting them to offer namaz in mosques where prohibitory orders are not in place or at houses.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar has stated that the objective of Fazil's murder is yet to be ascertained. "The hunt has been launched for the accused persons," he said. He also appealed to the public not to heed to rumours and no attempt should be made to disturb the peace.

--IANS

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