Large gatherings have been banned in Mangaluru till Saturday morning after two murders rocked the coastal Karnataka city this week, with the killing of Mohammad Fazil following that of Bharatiya Janata Party youth leader Praveen Nettaru. Security has been increased in the Dakshina Kannada district as well as neighbouring Udupi, police said amid fear of more killings and violence. Mangaluru police commissioner N Shashi Kumar also said that liquor shops in the area had been asked to close and nearly two dozen checkpoints have been set up, including along the Kerala border. He also urged residents not to step outside their homes after 10 pm, although no curfew has been ordered.
On Thursday night, Mohammad Fazil, 23, was ‘brutally attacked by 4-5 people’. “… attacked with a lethal weapon… immediately shifted to a hospital (but) declared dead,” Shashi Kumar said. Fazil’s killing follows that of Nettaru, a BJP worker murdered in the Bellare area of the district.
READ | Muslim man killed in Mangaluru two days after BJP worker slain
“We are taking up a complaint of an eyewitness who was with the deceased during the incident and a case of murder (has been filed) in Surathkal Police Station.” the top cop said.
“Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation in imp areas under Mangaluru City Commissionerate, we've imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144,” he also said, adding that Muslim community leaders had been asked to perform Friday prayers at home ‘in larger interest of law and order’.
“Motive behind incident and identity of culprits is being investigated... I appeal to all citizens to not succumb to any rumours being spread by vested-interest groups,” Shashi Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}“Motive behind incident and identity of culprits is being investigated... I appeal to all citizens to not succumb to any rumours being spread by vested-interest groups,” Shashi Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}Araga Jnanendra - the Karnataka home minister already under fire over Nettaru’s murder – has condemned the killing of Mohammad Fazil and said the perpetrators will be punished.
Meanwhile, on Thursday two people with suspected links to the Popular Front of India were arrested in connection with Nettaru's killing.
With input from ANI