Suhas Shetty murdered: A chilling cycle of retaliation in Coastal Karnataka

India Today

Suhas Shetty — a former Bajrang Dal member and the key accused in the Fazil murder case — was brutally hacked to death near Kinnipadavu, outside Mangalore.

Transcript

00:00Around 8.27 p.m. near Kinni Padavu, a village outside Mangalore, a car was intercepted by a

00:05swift and a pickup truck. At least six masked men jumped out, attacked a person with sports

00:10and sharp weapons and fled. The person hacked to death on 1st May 2025 in Mangalore, Karnataka

00:16was Suhas Shetty, a former Badrangdal member and the prime accused in the Fasal murder case.

00:21He was traveling with five others.

00:30Suhas Shetty was a polarizing figure in the coastal politics of Karnataka. He was a known

00:39history-sheeter with five criminal cases, one in Dakshina Kannada and four in Mangalore.

00:44He was a former member of Badrangdal. He came into the national spotlight in 2022 after being

00:50named a key accused in the murder of 23-year-old Mohammad Fazil, a Muslim youth from Kattipalla,

00:56Mangalore. Fazil's killing, which occurred just two days after the murder of BJP youth

01:00leader Praveen Nitaru in 2022, was widely viewed as a retaliatory act that intensified communal

01:06tensions across the coastal region.

01:08We have identified a couple of names, but unless until we arrest them and do the interrogation,

01:14it will be immature to say that all the three cases are connected. However, some of the leads

01:20are leading us into that direction only.

01:22Shetty was rushed to AJ Hospital but succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead. Police

01:28found weapons used for murder on May 2, 2025.

01:31In spite of repeated murders of Hindu activist, Hindu Karakarta, the soft corner of Chief Sidra

01:39Maya towards anti-national elements, the soft corner of Congress government towards anti-social

01:47elements against gundas. State government did not feel that they should take action against

01:53PFI and other anti-national organizations.

01:59They allege that the party is involved, the government is involved, so many things they

02:04keep telling, but we have a responsibility. As a government, we have a responsibility, we'll

02:10see that.

02:11Soon after his death, Bajrang Dal and VHP members gathered outside the hospital demanding a citywide

02:16bandh. Several incidents of stone pelting were reported on both KSRTC and private buses, prompting

02:22the suspension of transport services to and from suburban localities. Police imposed Section

02:28163 across Mangaluru till May 6, prohibiting public gatherings, processions and carrying weapons.

02:34Heavy forces had been deployed. Police had identified some suspects from CCTV footage. A case had been

02:40registered at Bajpi police station and multiple special teams had been formed to trace the attackers.

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