Shivamogga (Karnataka): Three persons have been arrested in the case of the murder of the 28-year-old Bajrang Dal activist Harsha, police said Monday. Efforts are on to nab the rest of the suspects involved in the murder in this district headquarters town.
The town witnessed violence during the funeral procession of the Bajrang Dal activist which left a photojournalist and a woman cop among three injured. There were also reports of some shops being sacked and vehicles being torched.
A four-five member group of assailants was suspected to be involved in the killing, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said.
Harsha, a resident of Seegehatti locality, was attacked by a group of unknown persons at Bharati Colony here Sunday night. He was taken to McGann Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
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Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa is from the same district. He alleged that ‘Musalman goondas’ were behind Harsha’s murder. “Recently DK Shivakumar (state Congress president) had made an instigating statement that at a government school premises, the national flag was lowered to hoist Bhagwa (saffron) flag and 50 lakh saffron flags were brought from Surat in lorries and were distributed among students. This had given abetment to Muslim goondas. We will not allow such goondagiri in Shivamogga and will suppress it,” Eshwarappa said.
Shivakumar hit back at the minister, saying Eshwarappa cannot sleep without taking his name.
Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner of Police Selvamani said, “Already section 144 has been imposed (for two days). Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) himself is monitoring the maintenance of law and order. We are doing all that we can and bring the situation under control at the earliest.”
Earlier, hundreds of people and Hindu workers took part in the funeral procession that was joined by Eshwarappa, who also the local MLA and Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra. The administration had declared holiday for schools and colleges here Monday, while shops and commercial establishments remained shut in parts of the city.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, appealing for peace said that the government will get the murder investigated and punish the guilty at the earliest.
Jnanendra, who met Harsha’s family earlier in the day said he has not got any information about involvement of any organisation behind the murder so far, but that a four-five member group was involved.
“Police have information on who was involved in the murder and were behind them and very soon they will be arrested. According to information, four to five people were involved,” he said.