BSY hands over ₹25 lakh aid to kin of Bajrang Dal activist killed in Karnataka
After Harsha’s murder, the district administration had imposed a curfew in the district to prevent communal clashes.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Karnataka chief minister, BS Yediyurappa, on Sunday handed over a cheque of ₹25 lakh on behalf of the state government to the family of 26-year-old Bajrang Dal activist Harsha Jingade who was fatally stabbed lon February 20 in Shivamogga, about 300 kms from Bengaluru.
Police have arrested 10 people in connection with the murder so far.
“Harsha had cordial relations with the people in this region. He did not give room for any confusion or struggle here and was growing as a Hindu leader. Some miscreants who could not digest this have killed him and it is a very inhuman act. I pray to god that Harhsa’s family gets the strength to deal with this pain,” Yediyurappa said on Sunday after he visited the family in Shivamogga’s Seegehatti locality.
“I have given them a cheque of ₹25 lakh on behalf of the government. Money is not important but I pray to god that Harsha’s family be given the strength to deal with the pain of the loss,” he added.
He was accompanied by cabinet minister KS Eshwarappa, Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra and other BJP leaders.
After Harsha’s murder, the district administration had imposed a curfew in the district to prevent communal clashes.
A day after the murder, rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister Eshwarappa alleged that Harsha was killed by muslim anti-social elements.
On the same day, Eshwarappa and Raghavendra took part in Harsha’s funeral procession. Incidents of violence were reported from neighbourhoods with muslim large populations at the time.
Harsha himself had at least three cases registered against him, on charges including rioting and hurting religious sentiments, HT had reported earlier.
Violent confrontations with at least two people accused of murdering him, officials said, was indicative of the motive to be personal enmity even though investigation agencies continue to probe the case.
“You cannot just fix the price for a life. The only thing is that whoever loses his life, like in a blast, accident or anything, whatever compensation is given, make it mandatory and give ₹25 lakh to all of them. Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Sikh of Christian, human life is important,” Eshwara Khandre, the working president of the Congress party in Karnataka said.