Who was Suhas Shetty? Murder accused hacked to death; Mangaluru on high alert, bandh in most parts of Dakshina Kannada

Tensions gripped Karnataka's Mangaluru after Suhas Shetty, the prime accused in the high-profile Fazil murder case, was brutally killed by a group of unidentified assailants on Thursday night.

The police have enforced prohibitory orders across the city till May 6, following the bandh called by the Hindu organisations in protest against Suhas Shetty's murder.

Who was Suhas Shetty?

Suhas Shetty was a former Bajrang Dal member with a criminal record. Shetty was 42 years old, and had five criminal cases registered against him — one in the Dakshina Kannada district and four in Mangaluru city.

Suhas Shetty accused in Fazil murder case

Suhas Shetty was named as one of the accused in the 2022 murder of 23-year-old Mohammed Fazil, a resident of Mangalapete in Katipalla.

Fazil was killed in retaliation for the murder of BJP youth wing worker Praveen Nettaru on July 26, 2022. His murder had sparked widespread unrest and tension across the coastal region, leading to tensions and reactions from various sections of society.

How was Suhas Shetty murdered?

According to police, Suhas Shetty was murdered around 8:27 pm on Thursday, May 1, while travelling in a car with five others. Their vehicle was reportedly intercepted by two cars, from which five to six assailants emerged. Armed with swords and other sharp weapons, they launched a violent assault on Shetty, leaving him critically injured on the road, reported PTI.

Mangaluru on high alert

In the wake of Suhas Shetty’s murder, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal has enforced prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The restrictions came into effect at 6 am on May 2 and will remain in place until 5 am on May 6.

To maintain law and order, police have also set up checkposts across the city and ramped up patrolling. A case has been filed at Bajpe Police Station, and several teams are working to identify and arrest the attackers, reported The News Minute.

The orders ban public gatherings, processions, slogan-shouting, and the distribution of inflammatory posters or social media content. Loudspeakers, music events, and speeches that could provoke unrest have also been strictly prohibited during this period.

What did the Karnataka CM say?

When asked if Suhas Shetty's murder was preplanned, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah told PTI: “Whether it is preplanned or not is yet to be known. Once the investigation is complete, it will be known. The BJP always keeps looking for such incidents to play politics over it.”