MANGALURU: Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader on Saturday came under attack from the Opposition BJP for giving a clean chit to the family of the accused in Hindutva activist and rowdy-sheeter Suhas Shetty's murder.
Khader on Friday told mediapersons in Bengaluru that he had spoken to the father and brothers of Mohammed Fazil -- who was murdered by Suhas Shetty in 2022-- and that they told him the family had nothing to do with the murder of the former Bajrang Dal activist. Khader also said that the murder was the result of 'personal grudge' and 'rivalry' between the two groups, which the police echoed on Saturday.
However, contrary to Khader's claims regarding Fazil's family, Mangaluru city police commissioner Anupam Agrwal on Saturday stated that Fazil's brother Adil Mehroof is one of the prime accused in the case and had allegedly plotted Shetty's murder along with co-accused Abdul Safwan.
"What has Khader to tell now after Fazil's brother's involvement in the murder has come to light? How can the police conduct a fair probe if a Speaker gives such a statement even before the arrests are made? Being a Speaker how can he issue such a statement?" BJP Dakshina Kannada District President Satish Kumpala asked in a press meet.
Referring to some Congress MLAs moving a privilege motion against BJP MLA Harish Poonja recently for linking Khader's religious identity to the suspension of the saffron party legislators from the assembly for six months, he said, "With his statements, the 'jihadi' mindset of Khader has been exposed.”
Stating that the accused had announced the intent to murder Shetty through a status on social media before executing their plan, Kumpala asked why the police did not take any action against them.
“Government, police and all are involved in this. If they had acted swiftly, Suhas would have been alive today. There is strong suspicion on the Bajpe police and their role should be investigated,” he demanded.
He also took strong exception to the police releasing the masked photos of Suhas' assailants in comparison to unmasked pictures of Fazil's assailants.
Commenting on Home Minister G Parameshwara's announcement of the establishment of an Anti-Communal Force, he said they don't have even an iota of hope on it and reiterated the demand for NIA probe into Shetty's murder.
"The oppression of Hindu youths will only intensify with the anti-communal force," he alleged
Kumpala also criticised the home minister for allegedly holding a meeting with Muslim leaders in Mangaluru on Saturday instead of inviting the elected representatives to discuss the tension in the region.
Suhas Shetty was murdered days after a 36-year-old Muslim youth with intellectual disability was beaten to death by a group of 25-30 people, allegedly affiliated with RSS and Bajrang Dal, during a cricket match near the Batra Kallurthi temple in Kudupu, Mangaluru.
