With every act of violence echoing into the next, the Dakshina Kannada region seems trapped in a pattern of bloodshed and vengeance
Mohammed Talha Siddi Bapa | Clarion India
MANGALORE — Tension prevails in the coastal city of Mangaluru in the Dakshina Kannada region as a Bajrang Dal worker and a murder accused was hacked to death by some unidentified men on Thursday night.
Suhas Shetty, a strong Hindutva proponent, and the prime accused in the 2022 murder of a Muslim youth, Mohammed Fazil, in Surathkal, a major locality in the Mangalore taluk located on National Highway 66.
Shetty’s killing has triggered political ripples and right-wing groups observed a bandh on Friday. During Shetty’s funeral, a mob wearing saffron shawls attacked an auto-rickshaw driver. This happened despite prohibitory orders under Section 144 being in place. Shetty’s murder and the assault on the rickshaw driver have renewed fears of retaliatory clashes in the communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada region.
According to Mangaluru Police, Shetty, 31, was travelling near Kinnipadavu Cross in Bajpe with five associates when his vehicle was waylaid by a group of assailants, armed with blunt objects. The group, travelling in two cars, surrounded Shetty and inflicted fatal injuries before fleeing. Locals alerted the police, who rushed Shetty to a nearby AJ Hospital, where he died.
#WATCH | Karnataka: Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal says, "Last night at around 8.30 pm, Suhas Shetty, a rowdy sheeter, who is accused number one in Fazil's murder case, was killed by 5-6 unidentified assailants. We have registered a murder case, and teams are… pic.twitter.com/fpi2QeWEm0
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025
Shetty, a resident of Bajpe, is alleged to have orchestrated Fazil’s murder three years ago. Fazil was hacked to death by a gang of four masked men on July 28, 2022, at the Bee Jay’s clothing store in Surathkal.
Police sources said four special teams have been formed to nab Shetty’s killers, with investigations pointing toward a possible revenge angle, considering Shetty’s role as a prime accused in the Fazil murder case.
Shetty had a long criminal history. One of the most serious charges against him was his alleged involvement in the 2020 murder of 20-year-old Keerthi in Devara Gudde, Badaga Yekkaru village. According to police records, Shetty was the second accused in the case, where Keerthi, along with friends Manish Jogi and Nithin Poojary, was attacked with wooden clubs, beer bottles, and knives by him and his gang. Keerthi succumbed to his injuries, and a case was registered under multiple IPC sections, including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case is still under trial.
Shetty’s name also featured as the prime accused in the 2022 murder of Fazil in a sword attack believed to be retaliatory for the murder of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru. That case too remains in the judicial process.
In addition, Shetty had previous convictions and acquittals:
• Convicted in 2016 in Belthangady under IPC Section 160 (a fight, or a noisy argument or an instance of violent behaviour in a public place.
• Acquitted in a 2020 case involving assault and unlawful assembly.
• On trial in at least two other cases registered under serious charges, including criminal conspiracy, harboring offenders, and destruction of evidence.
The history of violent activity and affiliations with fringe groups made Shetty a polarising figure in coastal Karnataka.
The VHP bandh on Friday led to widespread disruption of public services, incidents of stone-pelting, and complete shutdowns in parts of Mangaluru.
To maintain peace, the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC until May 5, while Mangaluru City Police invoked restrictions under Section 163 of the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), effective till May 6.
Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara termed the murder “gruesome” and assured that swift action would follow. “The government will not tolerate violence from any side. We will get to the root of the incident,” he stated, announcing the formation of special investigation teams.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Health Minister and district in-charge for Dakshina Kannada, also appealed for restraint. “We must not allow such incidents to become tools for political provocation. Justice will be ensured, and law and order will be maintained,” he said.
Amid these appeals, Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader, representing Mangaluru, offered a nuanced perspective. “This is not a political or communal killing. I urge all communities not to fall for narratives that can divide us further,” Khader said. “The law will take its course, but society must rise above hate. Mangaluru cannot afford another cycle of violence.”
While the politics and policing take centre stage, at the heart of the tragedy lies a grieving family. Mohan Shetty, father of the deceased, broke down while speaking to reporters.
Mohan Shetty, the father of the deceased #SuhasShetty, expressed frustration, stating that politicians are exploiting their children for their own gain.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) May 3, 2025
Speaking to a news channel, he said, "How can we bear to see our children die before our eyes at this age? Our innocent… https://t.co/D5uFHbf8Ho pic.twitter.com/Ps05OKBxt9
“Politicians are using our children for their gains. My son was just 31 and our family’s backbone. Now, who do we have?” he asked tearfully. “People will visit for a few days and vanish. We’ve lost everything.”
His words highlight the human cost behind the headlines — a cost often forgotten in cycles of ideological one-upmanship.
Shetty’s murder has once again laid bare the volatility of communal equations in the coastal belt. With every act of violence echoing into the next, the region seems trapped in a pattern of bloodshed and vengeance.
Yet, statements from leaders like UT Khader, calling for peace and rejecting communalisation, offer hope. The coming days will test whether the state administration and civil society can break this cycle or allow it to deepen further.
