BENGALURU: Retaliatory killings in Coastal Karnataka have become a cause for concern for the government and law enforcing agencies. The murder of Hindutva activist Suhas Shetty a few days ago is the fourth such incident in the region in the past few years. Acknowledging the limitations of conventional policing in preventing such incidents, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said, “This isn’t just about law and order anymore. It is about healing a fractured society.”
The government plans to set up a coastal task force and involve influential community and religious leaders, in its efforts to restore peace. “We will go beyond policing,” he said, emphasising the need for sustained dialogues and reconciliatory efforts. “We will not involve rabble-rousers, but use respected voices, who can help ease tensions,” he added.
Investigations revealed that each killing appeared to be meticulously premeditated, raising urgent concerns over deepening communal divide and bloodshed in the region. Experts and civil society leaders warn that the situation, if goes unchecked, may destabilise the social fabric of Coastal Karnataka, and Shetty’s murder may not be the last.
‘For peace to prevail, civil society’s role important’
Former DGP Dr Ajai Kumar Singh echoed this sentiment. “If people expect the police alone to ensure peace, it may not be possible. But if civil society -- religious, political, and community leaders -- take a stand against it, peace can prevail,” he said, citing Mahatma Gandhi’s intervention during violence in erstwhile Calcutta during the Partition. “Police can only do so much. A collective societal effort is essential,” he added.
“What is happening in Coastal Karnataka is unacceptable,” said peace activist Fr Cedric Prakash from Gujarat, though he hails from Coastal Karnataka. “Violence in any form must be rejected by all. India, thanks to Mahatma Gandhi, gave the world the principle of ahimsa.” It is believed that the retaliatory killings started after the murder of a youth from a minority community in the region, a few years ago. While each killing further polarised communities, law enforcement agencies have struggled to prevent such incidents.
Fr Prakash told TNIE that efforts must be made to restore peace from the ground up. “Real, sustainable peace will only take root at the grassroots when we begin to see one another as brothers and sisters, rejecting all forms of demonisation and discrimination,” he said.
Former Union minister CM Ibrahim said, “Yes, everyone must ensure that peace prevails. I, for one, am willing to help in any way possible.”