A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha worker was hacked to death by unidentified people on a bike in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday, July 27, evening. The murder has prompted Hindutva groups to call for a bandh in Puttur, Sullia and Kadaba taluks of the communally sensitive coastal district on Tuesday.
Praveen Nettaru, a BJP youth worker, was attacked by bike-borne assailants with a long knife as he was closing his shop on Tuesday evening in Bellare village in Sullia taluk of the district. The attack occurred amid tension in Sullia after a gang of eight people had attacked a man named Masood in Kalanja village on July 19. Kalanja is also within the Bellare police station limits. Masood succumbed to his injuries two days later at a private hospital in Mangaluru.
The incident, which took place on Tuesday evening, quickly took a communal turn with Hindutva groups claiming that Praveen was targeted for revenge over Masood's death.
Though Praveen was rushed to a private hospital in Puttur, he succumbed after sustaining deep wounds on his neck. Soon after the incident, BJP Yuva Morcha members staged a protest in front of the hospital and demanded that the Deputy Collector visit the spot on Tuesday night. The district official visited the hospital late on Tuesday night.
Praveen, a long-time resident of Bellare managed a broiler shop at Peruvaje cross in the village. Hindutva groups have decided to take out a procession of the body from Puttur to Bellare on Wednesday morning. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed condolences to the family members of the BJP worker's family and assured them that justice will be served soon. "The barbaric killing of our party activist Praveen Nettaru from Dakshina Kannada district is condemnable. The perpetrators of such a heinous act will be arrested soon and punished under the law. May Praveen's soul rest in peace. May God bless his family with the strength to bear this pain. Om Shanti."
Dakshina Kannada police have registered the case and formed four special teams to nab the culprits.