Mangaluru Suhas Shetty murder case: NIA takes over probe into Hindu activist killing

The Ministry of Home Affairs has handed over the investigation of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty’s murder in Mangaluru to the NIA. Allegations of banned group involvement and foreign funding prompted the central agency takeover for a transparent probe.

Mangaluru: The city, which recently experienced unrest following the murder of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty, is now calming down. The killing had triggered widespread outrage and protests, followed by retaliatory violence that gripped the city with fear. Allegations surfaced linking the banned Popular Front of India to Suhas Shetty’s murder. Hindu organisations and BJP leaders demanded an NIA investigation, alleging foreign funding and a systematically planned assassination.

Ministry of Home Affairs orders NIA probe

The Ministry of Home Affairs has officially handed over the investigation of Suhas Shetty’s murder to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Following claims about the involvement of banned organisations and foreign funding in the murder, the ministry’s directive underscores the seriousness of the case.

The NIA investigation team is now preparing to register the case, marking a shift from the local police to the central investigative agency.

Calls for central probe amid distrust in state agencies

BJP leaders and Hindu organisations had strongly advocated for a central agency to handle the investigation, expressing doubts about the state’s investigative agencies’ ability to conduct a transparent inquiry. They alleged that the Karnataka government was targeting Hindu leaders, further fuelling suspicions that state-controlled agencies could not be impartial.

Ongoing investigation and background

Mangaluru police have arrested the main accused in the Suhas Shetty murder case and are continuing their investigation. Reports indicate that Suhas Shetty’s killing was a revenge attack linked to the murder of Fazil, which itself was a retaliation for the killing of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru. However, strong allegations suggest that banned terrorist organisations orchestrated Shetty’s murder, reportedly using foreign funds to carry out the act.

Given these developments, the case has now been transferred to the NIA for a thorough and impartial probe.