Karnataka: FIR lodged against Hindu activists for defaming cop in Suhas Shetty murder case

Mangaluru (Karnataka), May 6 (IANS) Karnataka Police lodged an FIR on Tuesday against two Hindu activists for allegedly linking a head constable to the murder of former Bajrang Dal worker Suhas Shetty.

According to police, the FIR has been filed against Samitraj Daragudde, a leader of a Hindu organisation, and K.T. Ullas, the Regional Convenor of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike.

The action follows a complaint filed by Head Constable Rasheed at the Bajpe police station. Rasheed alleged that his name was unnecessarily dragged into the Suhas Shetty murder case and claimed he had been defamed through social media posts.

Police stated that Samitraj, a resident of Moodbidri, had published a social media post suggesting that Rasheed was involved in the Suhas Shetty murder case and questioned when he would be arrested. Ullas had alleged in a press conference that head constable Rasheed had indirectly collaborated with the killers in the execution of Suhas Shetty.

Earlier, Hindu Jagarana Vedike had cried foul over the handling of the case by the Police Department. Vedike leader K.T. Ullas alleged that invisible forces are behind the murder of Suhas Shetty. He claimed that more than Rs 50 was funded to commit the murder, and also suspected the role of a head constable belonging to the minority community attached to the Bajpe police station.

Ullas said that the police claim that Suhas Shetty was murdered for “revenge”. “Invisible forces are involved in the case along with the family of the youth who was killed by Suhas Shetty. The modus operandi of target killing is evident,” said Ullas.

He claimed that the PFI model was adopted in killing Suhas, adding that the killers were seen in no hurry while boarding their vehicle after committing the murder.

“The locals have supported them. Two burqa clad women are clearly seen in the video helping the assailants. It seems those present on the scene of the crime knew about the murder beforehand, Ullas further claimed.

He also alleged that Suhas Shetty was “tortured” by the head constable attached to Bajpe police station.

“The police had warned Suhas Shetty not to carry weapons in his vehicle. The information leak would have happened through the head constable,” he alleged.

He further claimed that the two Hindu accused are deliberately included among others by the police in the case to avoid the possibility of handing over this case to the NIA.

The eight accused persons, arrested by Karnataka’s Mangaluru Police so far in connection with the Hindu activist and rowdy sheeter Suhas Shetty's (42) murder case, have been taken into police custody till May 9.

Suhas Shetty was murdered on May 1. The BJP and Hindu organisations are demanding a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the case and suspect the involvement of “fundamentalist forces” behind the murder.

Police sources said that they are suspecting the role of more than 20 persons in the case, and have also launched a hunt for the two main accused in connection with the case.

--IANS

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