4 Arrested For Attacking Man Over Killing Of Karnataka BJP Worker: Police

MANGALURU: Four people have been arrested in Mangaluru for attacking a man on Wednesday leaving him critically injured. The attack on Basheer Ahmed, a food stall owner, at Kottara Chowki was captured on CCTV. The police say that the accused attacked Basheer in retaliation for the killing of BJP worker Deepak Rao in the city earlier the same day.

Mangaluru, Commissioner of Police, TR Suresh said the accused knew each other and seem to have chosen Basheer as their victim at random. He is in the hospital. Of the four men, Kishen and Dhanush Poojary are brothers who were accompanied by Srijith and Sandesh.

Deepak Rao, 22, was hacked to death in Surathkal in Dakshina Kannada district, a coastal region of Karnataka known for communal tension. There were plans to take his body for a procession but the police didn’t grant permission fearing escalation of tension. The crowds, however, gathered in Surathkal to protest against the murder.

The BJP and RSS in the state described Rao as a Hindu activist and said the Congress government was turning a blind eye to killing of right-wing activists in the state.

BJP state president and former Chief Minister, BS Yeddyurappa said, “This is the government’s style of functioning. The law and order situation is so bad that people feel they can get away with murder, especially in Mangaluru.”

The Congress in turn says the BJP is communalising the issue as the state elections are just around the corner.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “A murder has happened which should not have happened. I condemn the killers. Investigation is on. The police have already arrested four people in this connection. The man who died happened to be Hindu. But a life is a life. All life is precious. They are making allegations because elections are coming. It is the BJP which is responsible for communal clashes.”

The situation is under control and investigations are on, he added.

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