Mangaluru On High Alert, Gatherings Banned After Murder-Accused Killed

The police in Mangaluru, Karnataka, have implemented prohibitory orders throughout the city until May 6 following the murder of a man who was the main suspect in a murder case on Thursday.

Suhas Shetty, in his early thirties, was murdered by at least five attackers wielding machetes and swords on a crowded street. The event was recorded on surveillance cameras. He was said to be linked to multiple local Hindutva groups and had numerous cases filed against him, including assault and illegal assembly.

Shetty was likewise the main suspect in the 2022 murder case of a 23-year-old individual, Mohammed Fazil, in Mangaluru. Fazil’s murder was widely regarded as a revenge killing in response to the assassination of BJP youth worker Praveen Nettaru. After Shetty’s killing, authorities implemented prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita throughout the Mangaluru City Police jurisdiction.

The directive bans public assemblies, meetings, marches, chanting slogans, and carrying items that might serve as weapons. Initial inquiries indicate that the assault was planned in advance, although the motive is still unknown, according to police, who noted that investigations are continuing.

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.