Three suspects detained in Bantwal murder, Dakshina Kannada district under heavy security

Bengaluru/Mangaluru, May 28 (PTI) Investigation into the murder of a 32 year-old man in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district has intensified with police detaining three suspects, official sources said on Wednesday.

Amid simmering tensions in the district post the killing, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he had instructed police to thoroughly investigate the case and nab the culprits.

The victim Abdul Rahiman and his 29 year-old co-worker Kalandar Shafi were unloading gravel when two motorcycle-borne youth made a murderous assault on them with a sword in this town on Tuesday.

While Rahiman succumbed to his injuries, Shafi is undergoing treatment.

Police have registered a case at the Bantwal Rural Police Station. Two individuals, identified as Deepak, Sumith and 13 others have been named as accused in the case, police sources confirmed.

Sources also said that Deepak and Sumith are among the three who have been detained.

The FIR suggests that the victims and the accused knew each other. At the time of incident, the victims were surrounded by 15 people, including Deepak and Sumith.

According to Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) R Hitendra, on Tuesday, near Ira kodi when two people had gone with sand in a pickup truck, a group attacked them and a person named Rahiman died and another person named Kalandar Shafi was injured and is undergoing treatment.

"Based on the complaint of ambulance driver Mohammed Nisar, a case has been registered and investigation is underway. Investigation is underway to identify the culprits. Instructions have been given to arrest the culprits and local officials have formed five teams, soon the arrests will be made and information will be shared," he told reporters here.

He said that two people have been named in the FIR and rest of the suspects are unknown.

"As the arrest process is underway, information cannot be shared as of now," he said.

Regarding the motive, Hitendra said, it will be known from the investigation.

"Investigation has just begun as police were busy with the bandobast (security deployment) due to the tense atmosphere prevailing and priority was given to ensure peaceful cremation," he said.

To a question if this killing was a revenge to the recent killing (Hindu activist Suhas Shetty), the ADGP said, "I may be new to Dakshina Kannada, but you are not and you know the history of the district, and you know the answer to this question. Every one knows answer to this question." According to him, in Mangaluru city and other parts of Dakshina Kannada, prohibitory orders are in place for three days. Cremation was completed peacefully by 2 pm.

Along with Police from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada districts, officers and staff have been called from central and Mysuru range.

"Thousand policemen are in bandobast, also 20 platoons of KSRP (Karnataka State Reserve Police) have been deployed," he said.

Rahiman's murder comes close on the heels of Suhas Shetty's killing on May 1 in the communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district.

The latest murder is also being seen as communal overtones prevailing in the district though police investigation report is yet to come out.

"I got to know about the murder at Bantwal in Mangaluru. I have told police to immediately arrest the accused persons," chief minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru late Tuesday night.

In view of the tension in the district following the incident, prohibitory orders have been clamped till May 30 evening and security has been tightened.

The incident triggered sporadic stone-pelting on private buses, particularly in Surathkal, where at least two vehicles were damaged, officials said.

The mortal remains of Rahiman were taken in a procession from his residence in Kolathamajalu to the burial ground, drawing a huge crowd.

The killing has since sparked widespread outrage, particularly on social media, where many have claimed that it was a retaliatory act for the murder of Shetty.

Community leaders have alleged that Raheem’s murder was premeditated and fueled by hate speech.

District authorities have urged citizens to maintain peace while the investigation proceeds. PTI COR AMP GMS KSU AMP SA