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Mangaluru youth murder triggers political blame game; two suspects shot at
BJP accused the state’s Congress government of failing to protect Hindutva activists
Two of the four suspects in the murder of 28-year-old Deepak Rao in Mangaluru city were shot at while attempting to escape the police dragnet, even as the killing triggered a political blame game in the state.
Police opened fire at the duo identified as Rizwan and Pinky Nawaz when they attempted to flee in a two-wheeler on Wednesday, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said.
The injured are being treated in a hospital, he said.
Police also arrested two others Mulky Naushad and Nirsha in connection with the murder, which assumed a political colour after some right-wing groups claimed that the deceased was an activist of the Bajarang Dal, a Hindu outfit.
Rao was hacked to death with sharp weapons by four men on Wednesday.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to the bereaved family.
“I condemn the dastardly act of murdering young Deepak Rao, and offer my deepest condolences to the family for their loss,” he said in a tweet.
Following the killing, the BJP has accused the Congress-led state government of failing to protect Hindu activists in the state.
State BJP general secretary CT Ravi claimed 24 Hindutva activists, including Rao, had been killed in the state over the past four years.
“These killings prove that there is no safety for people and indicate a total collapse of law-and-order machinery,” he said.
“The Congress government gives a political angle to a killing whenever the BJP raises safety concerns,” Ravi said.
“The government of chief minister Siddaramaiah has never shown political will to crush terrorist and anti-social elements. On the other hand, it is now clear that it wants to forge an alliance with the Social Democratic Party of India,” he alleged.
The SDPI is a political wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI), an Islamic organisation with alleged terror links.
Reddy vehemently denied the BJP charges and said that there was no evidence to link Rao or his killers with any organisations.
“Communal tensions are being fanned with a clear eye on the elections,” Reddy said. “It is not clear if Rao was a Hindutva activist or if any of those arrested were PFI activists, but this has not stopped the BJP from terming this a political murder.”
He said the BJP is trying to give political colour to all the killings in the state and referred to the recent death of Paresh Mesta, whose body was found in a lake.
“Mesta’s father rejected the claim of the BJP that he was a Sangh activist,” Reddy said.
According to Reddy over the past four years there had been 17 political killings, of which six were activists of the PFI.
“If the BJP is keen on banning those who indulged in political murders then they should also call for a ban on those who killed the PFI activists,” he added.
The right-wing outfits are blamed for the killing of PFI activists in the state.
Dakshina Kannada and other districts in coastal Karnataka of late have witnessed a spurt in communal tension with the political parties gearing up for assembly elections due in April this year.
Reddy said the Congress government will increase its efforts to ensure peace in the area and will consider holding meetings with the leaders of various religious communities.
