Slain Muslim youth's kin seeks arrest of VHP leader in Karnataka

Mangaluru, Jan 31 (PTI) The father of a slain Muslim youth from Surathkal here has urged the police to book Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell as the conspirator behind the crime.

Ummer Farooq, Fazil’s father, in a memorandum to city police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said Pumpwell had in a speech at Tumakuru on Sunday said that ‘Hindu youths’ had killed Fazil in retaliation to the murder of BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettaru in Sullia.

The video of the speech had gone viral on the social media.

Farooq said in the memorandum that Fazil was hacked to death in front of people on July 28 last year in Surathkal. The Surathkal police had registered a case and arrested eight people in connection with the case. A chargesheet was also filed before the jurisdictional court.

Farooq, who watched the video of Pumpwell’s speech as part of VHP’s Shaurya Yatra in Tumakuru, said the latter had praised the efforts of the culprits in the murder of Fazil. He also said the killing was to avenge the murder of BJYM leader Praveen Nettaru.

Nettaru was killed by motorbike-borne assailants at Bellare in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district on July 26 last year.

Farooq said it is clear that Pumpwell had prior information about the murder and suspected that he had led the conspiracy behind the murder. He urged the police to arrest Pumpwell and coundct further investigation into Fazil’s murder.

City police commissioner told reporters that he has sought legal opinion on the matter. Congress, SDPI and JD(S) also have sought legal action against Pumpwell. PTI MVG ROH ROH