Murder-Accused Suhas Shetty Hacked to Death in Mangaluru; Police Launch Manhunt for Killers

Mangaluru, May 2:
In a gruesome act of violence, rowdy sheeter and prime accused in the much-publicized Fazil murder case Suhas Shetty was hacked to death by a bunch of unidentified thugs in Mangaluru on Thursday night. It happened around 8:30 PM, when the assailants attacked Shetty’s car and caused fatal blows with sharp objects. Though taken to AJ Hospital, he was pronounced dead just after admission.

According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, Shetty was travelling with five others—Sanjay, Prajwal, Anvith, Latheesh, and Shashank—when their car was intercepted by two vehicles: a four-wheeler and a pickup truck. A group of five to six men then launched a swift and violent attack, targeting Shetty before fleeing the scene.

It is premature to say the motive of the murder. A case has been filed and a full-fledged investigation has been launched,” said Commissioner Agrawal to news agency ANI. Prohibitory orders have been imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS), 2023, from 6:00 AM on Friday to 6:00 AM on May 6 to avoid any possible worsening of the situation.

Responding strongly to the murder, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara guaranteed that the issue is being given serious attention. “There was a murder in Mangaluru yesterday night. We have given serious thought to the incident. Four different teams have been constituted to track down the offenders. Such incidents should not affect the peace and harmony we are trying to uphold in Dakshina Kannada,” he said at a media briefing in Bengaluru.

After the killing, right-wing group Bajrang Dal organized a bandh in Mangaluru, where sporadic incidents of stone-pelting on buses were witnessed. The police have now deployed extra forces to maintain law and order in the city.

Security has been increased in vulnerable areas, and the government has asked citizens to stay calm and not spread rumors. Investigations are still underway, and more updates are anticipated in the next few days as police continue to identify and arrest the attackers.