BJP worker allegedly hacked to death by bike-borne assailants in Chikkamagaluru

BJP's General Secretary in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka was allegedly hacked to death on Friday night by bike-borne assailants. Mohammed Anwar (47) was allegedly stabbed on his chest and stomach by two bike borne assailants in Gowri Kaluve area in the district at 9:30 pm. 

Chikkamagaluru police officials confirmed the incident and revealed that they are investigating the incident from all possible angles but are yet to verify that the incident was linked to political motives. 

"It does not look like there are political motives to the incident but our investigation will cover all possible angles. He was allegedly killed around 9:30 pm by two people who came in a bike," said K Annamalai, Superintendent of Police, Chikkamagaluru.  

Sources in the police added that it appeared to be a 'supari-style'killing and that it could have been due to personal animosity. "It looks like a personal issue has led to the killing. There was rivalry between him and a few others at the local mosque and he has received threats in the past. He even carried a revolver with him and this is an angle we can pursue," said a police official investigating the incident. 

BJP MP for Chikkamaguluru and Udupi, Shobha Karandlaje, took to Twitter to claim that fundamentalists had killed Anwar and also staged a dharna in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday. 

Bjp general secretary of Chickmagalur Sri Anwar is killed by bike borne fundamentalists. He already had threat from local fundamental goondas. Highly condemnable!! Called S P Chickmagalur & requested to arrest culprits immediately!!!where is #karnataka heading to??#OmShanti pic.twitter.com/o5C7SFIgxa

— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) June 22, 2018

In the lead up to the state Assembly elections in May, BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress government for failing to act on the alleged murders of over 20 party activists in the state.  

In July 2017, Shobha, in a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh listed 23 men as either 'Hindu activists' or members of 'BJP/RSS' to have been killed by 'jihadi elements' in the state. She also raised suspicions that Muslim organisations were involved in them and also accused the ruling Congress government of protecting them.  

However, Congress released a booklet in April 2018 debunking the claims made in the letter and even clarified that one of the persons mentioned in the list is in fact alive. Police have previously registered an FIR against BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje for allegedly spreading enmity between the two communities following one such death - that of Paresh Mesta in Uttara Kannada in December 2017.