Hindu groups call for Mangaluru bandh after murder accused Suhas Shetty hacked to death

MANGALURU: Tensions escalated in Mangaluru following murder of 30-year-old Suhas Shetty, an accused in the 2022 murder of Mohammed Fazil.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has called for a district-wide bandh on Friday, prompting a shutdown of shops and disruption in public transport services, especially private buses, across the region.

The murder, which occurred on Thursday night in the Bajpe area, has triggered heightened security measures.
Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner has issued prohibitory orders across the entire district, effective until May 5, to maintain law and order. Simultaneously, the Mangaluru City Police have enforced restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) from 6am on May 2 to 6am on May 6, within city police limits.
The prohibitory orders ban the gathering of five or more persons, shouting of slogans, carrying of weapons or explosives, delivering provocative speeches, using abusive language, targeting government entities, and holding protests. However, government-organised events are exempt from the restrictions.
The incident
Suhas Shetty, a resident of Mangaluru and a known rowdy-sheeter with five prior criminal cases, was killed on Thursday around 8.27pm near Kinnipadavu Cross in Bajpe. According to police reports, Shetty was travelling with his associates — Sanjay, Prajwal, Anvith, Latheesh, and Shashank — when their vehicle was intercepted by a group of armed assailants in a Swift car and a pickup truck. The attackers, believed to be six in number, brutally assaulted Shetty with deadly weapons.
He was rushed to AJ Hospital with critical injuries but succumbed shortly after. A case has been registered at Bajpe Police Station, and multiple teams have been formed to identify and arrest the suspects involved.
Suhas Shetty was one of the accused in the high-profile murder of Mohammed Fazil, a 23-year-old resident of Mangalapete in Katipalla, who was killed in July 2022. Fazil’s murder had sparked widespread unrest along the coastal belt of Karnataka, and Shetty’s death has now reignited communal and political tensions in the region.
Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation. Security has been tightened in sensitive areas, and additional police personnel have been deployed to prevent any escalation of violence.