E-Paper
Bajrang Dal Worker Harsha's Murder: UAPA invoked against 10 accused
On February 20th, Harsha was stabbed to death by a group of people.
Karnataka Police have charged ten people and invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the murder of a 27-year-old Bajrang Dal worker in Shivamogga last month. The stringent UAPA provisions are generally invoked in cases where there is suspicion of a conspiracy to undermine national integrity. There is also the possibility that the case will be turned over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Indian Express quoted a senior state police official as saying, "There is suspicion of a larger conspiracy behind the murder."
On the night of February 20, Harsha was stabbed to death by a group of people. It sparked violent protests throughout the district, prompting the district administration to impose a curfew and close educational institutions. According to sources, the murder may have been the result of a fight between Harsha and one of his attackers on the grounds of a court about six months ago. However, police are investigating a larger conspiracy, especially given that the crime occurred during the hijab row.
A friend of the Bajrang Dal activist alleged that murder was a ‘well-planned plot’ and that Harsha had been under surveillance for the past few weeks. Harsha's friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said the Bajrang Dal activist had also received repeated calls from unknown numbers requesting assistance.
Harsha had been a member of the Bajrang Dal for six years and had been attacked in the past. He took part in anti-hijab protests in educational institutions earlier this month. Harsha's social media pages also featured photos of him wearing a saffron scarf and protesting at Shivamogga's Sahyadri College. Harsha was charged with making anti-Muslim posters in 2016. According to sources, Harsha and Kashif, one of those detained, met in prison in 2020. According to local news reports, several other suspects who allegedly assisted Kashif face multiple assault, burglary, and robbery charges.
Earlier, Karnataka BJP Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development KS Eshwarappa and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje demanded an NIA investigation into the murder. According to BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, the murder was committed in accordance with the "Kerala model of terror." Surya claimed that organisations such as the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), and the Campus Front of India were responsible for such incidents in Karnataka and elsewhere in the country.
