Bengaluru : Karnataka police on Monday arrested three people in connection with the murder of a Hindu Sanghthan worker in Shivamogga last night. “Three people have been arrested in Harsha murder case. We suspect involvement of at least five persons who killed Harsha, the Hindu Sangathan worker,” Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra told reporters here.
Replying to a query, he said investigation is underway to find out whether the murder took place due old rivalry. The police are also trying to ascertain if this incident is connected with the hijab controversy.
Harsha was stabbed to death by some unidentified person around 2100 hours on Sunday. He was reportedly chased and killed in Bharathi Colony. Section 144 has been clamped in the city and holiday has been declared for schools and colleges.
Taking into consideration the prevailing tension, the state government has decided to deploy policemen from Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka in Shivamogga to maintain law and order, the minister said. As many as 1200 policemen and Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed in Shivamogga, he said. “There is a need for deploying policemen for the next 2 to 3 days,” the minister added. Asked why the government is not banning People’s Front of India and Socialist Democratic Party of India, Jnanendra said a decision will be taken after considering the criteria for banning such organisations.
In the morning, Mysuru MP and BJP leader Pratap Simha had urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to recommend banning of SDPI and PFI in the wake of Harsha’s murder. He further said that there is no question of going soft on those who have killed Harsha. “Congress ruled the country by backing radical organisations and now they have realised their mistake. They realised that they were riding on a tiger.
Therefore, out of fear the Congress is leveling charges against BJP. There is a question of being soft on those who killed Harsha,” he stated. “We do not have any electoral desire, but desire to protect the country. We will take strict action against the killers like our PM Narendra Modi had done on previous occasions,” he said. Asked about RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa’s “irresponsible” comments that Muslim goons were behind the murder, Jnanendra said that the police have taken this as a piece of information to help nab the killers. Following the incident, Jnanendra had visited the family of the deceased Bajrang Dal worker and consoled the kith and kin of Harsha.
Later, incidents of arson and stone-pelting were reported in some parts of Shivamogga city. Videos of Muslim goons, were seen raising Allah Hu Akbar and carrying swords and pelting stones standing atop buildings at Imambada area in Shivmogga. While the body of the deceased was taken back to his residence in a funeral procession by Sangthan workers, stone pelting incidents were reported on several business establishments.
Reacting to the situation, the CM directed the police to maintain law and order and requested people to stay calm. “Deeply saddened by the murder of a Hindu activist Harsha in Shivamogga. Investigation is on and those responsible for this will be arrested at the earliest. Police officials have been instructed to maintain law and order and I request people also to stay calm,” he said.
