Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru / Bengaluru
Mangaluru / Bengaluru, May 4: Home minister Dr G Parameshwara on Sunday stated that there is no clear motive yet in the recent mob lynching incident in Kudupu, Mangaluru, while also ruling out an NIA probe into the murder of Hindutva activist Suhas Shetty. The Minister reiterated the state police’s capabilities and said investigations are progressing effectively.
Speaking about the Kudupu case, Parameshwara clarified a key point of public confusion. “I did not say that the person who was killed raised pro-Pakistan slogans. It was the accused who made that claim. The exact reason for the murder is still not known,” he said. He confirmed that the police are actively interrogating suspects and have already arrested 21 people in connection with the mob violence.
When asked about allegations raised against the home department in handling the Kudupu mob lynching, Parameshwara responded, “The state government treats every murder case with utmost seriousness. In 99% of such cases, arrests have been made. We respond through our work. Punishment for the accused is decided in court, and it’s not my role to comment on that.”
The Kudupu incident occurred amidst rising communal tensions in coastal Karnataka, with many raising questions about the underlying cause and the victim's identity. The home minister’s statements were meant to clarify that the investigation was still underway and that no definitive conclusions had yet been reached about the motive behind the killing.
In a separate but related development, Parameshwara also addressed the murder of Suhas Shetty, a known activist and rowdy-sheeter, who was killed by an unidentified group late Thursday within Bajpe police station limits in Mangaluru city. The BJP had demanded that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), calling it a targeted killing.
Dismissing the demand, the minister said, “It is their (BJP's) opinion. Our view is that our police are doing their job very well. Eight people have been arrested in this connection and the investigation is in progress. At this stage, there is no need to hand over the case to the NIA.”
Responding to criticisms over why no government representative had visited the family of the deceased, Parameshwara cited the background of the victim. “Please know that this is a murder case. There were five criminal cases against him. That’s the reason that no one from the government, I mean the public representatives — either me or anyone else — met them,” he said. However, he emphasised that the government would ensure the family receives justice. “Already we have done our work and we have arrested eight people,” he added.
Those arrested in connection with the Shetty murder include Abdul Safwan, Niyaz Ahmed, Mohammad Muzzammil, Khalandar Shafi, Adil Mehrooz, Mohammad Rizwan, Ranjit, and Nagaraj.
In the aftermath of Shetty’s murder, many organisations had called for a bandh in Mangaluru on Friday, which led to the closure of many shops and heightened communal tension in the region.
In response to the developing situation, Parameshwara, along with district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, visited Mangaluru on Friday. They held high-level meetings with Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal and Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan to assess the law and order situation. The ministers reviewed the existing security arrangements and appealed to the public for calm.
Parameshwara assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible for any violence or unrest triggered by the incidents. As part of broader preventive measures, he also announced that a permanent anti-communal task force will be constituted specifically for the coastal Karnataka region, which has long been sensitive to communal flashpoints.
The twin cases — of the Kudupu lynching and the Suhas Shetty murder — have brought renewed scrutiny to the law and order machinery in the region. The government has vowed swift and transparent investigations, even as political and communal tensions remain high.