One more arrested in Surathkal murder case; prohibitory orders extended till December 29

Earlier, three people, Savin Kanchan (24), Shailesh Pujari alias Shailu (21) and Pachu alias Pawan (23), were arrested.

Mangaluru police on Tuesday arrested another person in connection with the murder of a man in Karnataka’s Surathkal on December 24, officials said.

Prohibitory orders in four areas of Mangaluru city were extended till 6 am on December 29 (ANI)

The arrested is identified as Lakshmish Devadiga (28) from Katipalla. So far, the police have arrested four persons in the murder case.

Earlier, three persons, Savin Kanchan (24), Shailesh Pujari alias Shailu (21) and Pachu alias Pawan (23), were arrested.

Mangaluru commissioner of police, Shashi Kumar, said of the three arrested, two are the assailants, and another one dropped them on his bike. “The information about the accused cannot be disclosed until their identity is ascertained.”

Abdul Jaleel (43) was hacked to death in front of his shop in Surathkal, triggering protests in the communally sensitive region.

On Tuesday, the Sunni student’s federation (SSF), with members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), held a protest at the Clock Tower in Mangaluru, condemning the incident.

A large number of protesters gathered at the Clock Tower alleged “discrimination” in the investigation and expressed outrage against the police and the government.

On Sunday, irate residents in Surathkal stopped the ambulance carrying Jaleel’s body and refused to let it proceed till the accused were arrested.

Shashi Kumar, who reached the spot after getting information about the protest, assured them of stringent and quick action. The funeral procession was later allowed to proceed.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders in four areas of Mangaluru city were extended till 6 am on December 29, Shashi Kumar said.

The clampdown under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) had been imposed in Surathkal, Bajpe, Kavoor and Panambur police station limits till December 26 following Jaleel’s murder.

Police said assembly of five or more persons, holding of public meetings, jathas, processions and carrying of firearms, explosives and crackers have been forbidden during the period.

The police have also forbidden offensive language or engaging in any activities that might offend certain groups of people.

The incident had come up for discussion on Monday during the ongoing winter session of the Karnataka assembly in Belagavi, where opposition leaders tried to pin down the ruling BJP over rising cases of communal murders.

During Zero Hour in the state assembly, Congress MLA and former minister UT Khader raised the issue. He said the recent murder of a Muslim man in Surathkal was linked to moral policing.

“If the police are given a free hand, then such communal killings could have been prevented. Those indulging in moral policing get bail. If we don’t exert control, things will go out of hand,” Khader said.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah had alleged that outfits like Bajrang Dal blow things out of proportion. “In the same place, before Jaleel’s murder, another murder also took place, that too, when CM was in Mangaluru. What are the police doing?” Siddaramaiah had asked.

Siddaramaiah accused Bommai himself of giving provocative statements. “When will this (communal murders) end? Until moral policing is not stopped, this will continue. Further, the chief minister gives provocative statements – ‘There is a reaction to every action’. How will this stop if people provoke or speak in a manner supporting such incidents,” Siddaramaiah said.