Bengaluru: In what is being hailed as a significant victory for the BJP and pro-Hindu organisations, the Union Home Ministry has officially handed over the investigation into the murder of Hindu activist and gau rakshak Suhas Shetty to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The decision, announced on June 8, comes amid sustained pressure and protests from the BJP and affiliated groups who alleged that the state police could not ensure an impartial investigation under the Congress-led government.
Suhas Shetty, a prominent Hindu youth leader, was brutally murdered on the night of May 1 near Kinnipadavu junction in Dakshina Kannada district. He was reportedly chased down by a gang of six while traveling by car toward Bajpe and killed in a targeted and gruesome attack. The state police had arrested 11 accused in connection with the case. However, allegations emerged that the murder had links to foreign funding and was part of a broader conspiracy, raising serious concerns about national security and the integrity of the probe.
Citing these factors, BJP leaders and pro-Hindu activists had intensified their demand for a central agency probe, accusing the Congress government of deliberately mishandling the investigation to protect vested interests. Following weeks of agitation, memorandums, and social media campaigns, the Union Government responded by transferring the case to the NIA.
Reacting swiftly to the development, BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra expressed gratitude to the Centre and highlighted the significance of the move. In a post on X, he stated:
“The decision of our union government to hand over the murder case of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty from Mangaluru to the NIA in response to the appeal of the coastal people is a welcome step. I am grateful to the central government for this.”
ಕರಾವಳಿ ಜನತೆಯ ಮನವಿಗೆ ಸ್ಪಂದಿಸಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಹಿಂದೂ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತ ಸುಹಾಸ್ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ ಅವರ ಕೊಲೆ ಪ್ರಕರಣವನ್ನು ಎನ್ಐಎ ತನಿಖೆಗೆ ವಹಿಸಿರುವ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಸ್ವಾಗತಾರ್ಹ ಕ್ರಮವಾಗಿದೆ, ಇದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞತೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸುವೆ.
ಕರಾವಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿಂದೂ ಸಮುದಾಯ ಆತಂಕ ಪಡುವ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣ ಮಾಡುವ… pic.twitter.com/Luwa4csbsP
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) June 8, 2025
Vijayendra further criticised the Congress-led state government for its alleged bias and inaction:
“Suhas’ murder took place in broad daylight on a public road, spreading fear in the Hindu community of the coastal region. At a time when the investigation was being derailed and the family’s hope for justice was fading under the Congress government, this step has restored faith. The involvement of anti-national forces must be uncovered.”
The BJP leader accused the state’s law enforcement of engaging in appeasement politics, stating that the police were being misused to target Hindu and BJP activists under the guise of communal harmony enforcement.
“A Muslim appeasement operation is being carried out in the coastal area by targeting only Hindu activists through the Communal Suppression Division to obscure the future of Hindu youth. This forced the BJP into launching widespread agitation,” he added.
Vishva Hindu Parishad Welcomes NIA Investigation into Suhas Shetty Murder Case
The Vishva Hindu Parishad leader, Pradeep Saripalla, has expressed his support for the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) decision to take over the murder investigation of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty.
While speaking to Organiser, Saripalla highlighted that the fishing harbour located in the area is a predominantly Muslim-dominated zone, where transactions worth crores of rupees take place daily. He pointed out that this has led to strong suspicion that the murder may have been funded from the harbor.
Saripalla further urged the NIA to investigate this dimension as part of their inquiry, emphasising the importance of uncovering all possible angles related to the case.
