Condemning the killing of a BJP Yuva Morcha member in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday assured that the culprits involved in the "heinous act" will be arrested soon and be punished as per law.
Home Minister Arga Jnanendra said, the area where the incident took place is close to the Kerala border and police are making special efforts to nab the culprits by establishing contact with senior officials of Kerala Police.
Praveen Nettar, a Zilla BJP Yuva Morcha committee member was hacked to death in front of his broiler shop in Bellare by bike-borne miscreants on Tuesday night.
"The heinous murder of our party worker Praveen Nettar from Sullia in Dakshina Kannada is condemnable. Those involved in the heinous act will be arrested soon and will be punished as per law," Bommai said in a tweet.
Jnanendra said he has spoken to the Chief Minister about the incident and had issued necessary instructions to the police.
A senior ADGP rank official will be going to Mangaluru and will monitor the probe and take necessary actions, he said.
Along with nabbing the culprits, efforts are also on to maintain peace and order, the Home Minister said. "It is natural that there will be anger about losing a young man, but I request people to maintain peace," he said.
BJP youth leader murder: Bandh in DK district
Shop owners in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district downed shutters on Wednesday in response to a bandh call given by the VHP to protest the killing of the BJP youth wing leader.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has called for a hartal in Sullia, Kadaba and Puttur taluks.
Incidents of stone-pelting at government buses were reported from some places. A bus plying from Puttur to Mangaluru was damaged in the stone-pelting incident at Bolwar.
Meanwhile, the body of Praveen Nettaru was taken in a procession in an ambulance to Nettaru by activists of Sangh organisations.
The last rites of the youth leader will be performed at his native place Nettaru. Hundreds of young activists belonging to various Hindu organisations have gathered at the spot.
Security has been beefed up across the communally sensitive district following the murder. Police have formed four separate teams to nab the culprits.
The incident has threatened to take a communal turn with suspicions being raised by right-wing outfits that the murder is in retaliation for another killing of a youth belonging to the minority community in the same locality recently.
(with PTI inputs)
