Suhas Shetty was a key accused in a 2022 murder case
The police in Karnataka's Mangaluru have enforced prohibitory orders across the city till May 6 after a man, a prime accused in a murder case, was murdered on Thursday.
Suhas Shetty, who was in his early thirties, was killed by at least five men using machetes and swords on a busy road. The incident was caught on CCTV.
He was reportedly associated with various local Hindutva outfits and had several cases registered against him, including for assault and unlawful assembly.
Shetty was also the key accused in the 2022 murder case of a 23-year-old man, Mohammed Fazil, in Mangaluru. Fazil's murder was widely believed to be a retaliatory killing following the assassination of BJP youth worker Praveen Nettaru.
Following Shetty's murder, police enforced prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita across the Mangaluru City Police limits.
The order prohibits public gatherings, meetings, processions, sloganeering, and the carrying of objects that could be used as weapons.
Preliminary investigation has suggested that the attack was premeditated, though the motive remains unclear, police said, adding that investigations are ongoing.
Karnataka Home Minister On Mangaluru Murder
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara called it a "gruesome" murder and said four separate teams have been formed to track down the suspects.
"A gruesome murder has occurred in Mangaluru city at around 8:30 pm on Thursday. We have already taken note of it, and we have in fact set up four different teams to catch the culprits. We are going to bring them to book. We will not have any compromise on this," he told reporters.
He said that when the administration is trying to bring about peace and harmony in Dakshina Kannada, incidents like this should not deter that effort.
"We have taken it very seriously. I have sent the senior officer -- Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order). He has already gone there, and additional forces have also been sent so that peace and harmony can be maintained," he added.
Second Murder In A Week
On April 27, a man was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people over a dispute during a cricket match on the outskirts of Mangaluru.
The victim was identified as Ashraf, a resident of Kerala's Wayanad.
Citing a preliminary investigation, a senior police officer said the victim was carrying a gunny bag and was crossing the field when he allegedly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad.”
He was reportedly beaten with wooden sticks, kicked, and repeatedly assaulted.
Despite attempts by some bystanders to intervene, the assault continued until the man succumbed to his injuries, an officer said.
The police initially detained 25 individuals for questioning, of whom 15 were arrested. After further probe, the number of arrests increased to 20.
