Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 19: Business man and local leader in Ullal Prakash Shetty on Sunday March 19 announced that he would award Rs 1 lac to the police if they nab the murderers of Karthik Raj within a month.

He was speaking at a Satyagraha protest rganized by Pajir unit of Hindu Hitarakshana Vedike along with other like-minded organizations against the police and the home department, demanding justice in the murder case Karthik Raj. The protest was staged in front of the Konaje police station.

Karthik Raj, son of former Mangaluru taluk panchayat president Umesh Ganiga, was attacked at Asaigoli on October 22, 2016. He passed away a day later.

"Five months have since the murder of the Karthik Raj. He was an innocent man. There are invisible hands behind his behind. The fact that the police have still not been able to nab the culprits has brought great pain not only to Karthik's family but to the people as well. I will award Rs 1 lac to the police if they arrest the culprits within a month," Prakash Shetty said.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel in his address said, "The state government continues to be in deep slumber despite several protests being held. The state government has completely failed in catching the culprits behind Karthik's murder. Atrocities against Hindus are happening repeatedly in Ullal limits. Several innocents have been killed or attacked, still, accused in most of the cases continue to be at large.

"Outfits in Kerala modelled after the ISI terror organization are carrying out murders. Even the murder of Rudresh was committed by such criminals from Kerala. Similarly, in Kerala-Karnataka border areas too, some elements who are following the ISI model are committing murders of Hindu youths here. Everyone should cautious about this," Nalin said.

Former MLA Jayaram Shetty said, "The state government has no respect for Hindus. The local MLAs and ministers are discriminatory in their approach towards the Hindus. When stones are pelted at a mosque, the culprit is caught within five minutes. But when an innocent youth is murdered, even five months are not sufficient for the police to catch the accused. It gives rise to suspicions whether police are under political pressure to close the case."

Mangaluru unit BJP president Santhosh Rai Boliyar warned that if the culprits in the case were not arrested within a month, protestors would barge into the Konaje police station. "The police wasted no time in filing complaint against the MP for his statement, so why cannot they file charges against Karthik's murderers?" he questioned.

It may be mentioned here that MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, leading an earlier protest for the same cause, had threatened to 'set Dakshina Kannada on fire' if the police failed to catch Karthik's murderers in 10 days. The controversial statement had resulted in local Congress leaders filing complaint against him, after which the MP had apologised.

Prior to the protest, a rally was held from Ganesh Mahal to the Konaje police station.

Chandrashekar Uchil, Chandrahas Adyanthaya, Sathish Kumpala, Satyajit Suratkal, Subhash Padil, Muneer Bava, slain Karthik's father Umesh and many others were present.

Karthik's mother, sister in tears

During the entire rally and the protest meet that followed, Karthik Raj's mother and his sister had tears in their eyes. They were inconsolable, especially when paying homage to Karthik with his portrait. "We cannot get Karthik back, but we should get justice. His murderers should be arrested. Police are only questioning people. We have cooperated with the investigations with the hope that justice would be done, but even though five months have passed, the culprits still remain untraced. We did not get justice," they said.