8 held for killing Mangaluru Bajrang Dal member, police say accused collaborated to eliminate common enemy
Suhas Shetty, who was killed in Mangaluru on May 1, was the prime accused in the 2022 Mohammed Fazil murder case.
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The police also said the group had attempted to kill Shetty on two earlier occasions but failed. (Representational)The Mangaluru police in Karnataka Saturday arrested eight men in connection with the murder of history-sheeter Bajarang Dal member Suhas Shetty and said a probe revealed that he was killed in retaliation to the murder of one Mohammed Fazil in 2022 and an attack on another man in 2023. Shetty was the prime accused in the Fasil murder case.
The arrested have been identified as Abdul Safwan, 29, and Niyaz, 28, both residents of Shantigudde; Mohammed Muzamil, 32, from Kenjar, who was recently employed in Saudi Arabia and married just four months ago; Kalandhar Shafi, 31, from Kursugudde, working in Bengaluru; Ranjith, 19, and Nagraj, 20, from Kalasa in Chikkamagaluru; Mohammed Rizwan, 28, from Jokatte, another returnee from Saudi Arabia; and Adil Maharoof, the brother of Fazil.
The group comprises drivers, masons, salesmen, and other workers, indicating a network of diverse backgrounds, said the police.
On May 1, Shetty was murdered in Mangaluru near the Bajpe bus stand.
A group of assailants, armed with blunt objects, allegedly surrounded Shetty and inflicted fatal injuries before fleeing. Shetty faced five cases against him, including four in Mangaluru city and one in Dakshina Kannada district.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal revealed that the murder of Shetty was a pre-planned act. “The assailants arrived in a Swift car and a Bolero pickup, intercepted Shetty’s vehicle, and brutally murdered him.”
According to Agrawal, the conspiracy was orchestrated by Abdul Safwan, who had been attacked in 2023 in a case where Shetty was suspected to have played a role.
Driven by fear of revenge, Safwan allegedly collaborated with others, eventually connecting with Adil Maharoof. An alleged deal was struck for Rs 5 lakh to execute the murder, with Rs 3 lakh reportedly paid upfront.
As the plan unfolded, Kaladhar Shafi, Rizwan, and Niyaz became part of the conspiracy, said the police. Niyaz then brought in Ranjith and Nagraj, who were familiar with him and had previously stayed at Safwan’s house.
The police also said the group had attempted to kill Shetty on two earlier occasions but failed. The vehicles used during the attack were confirmed to have been rented.
When questioned about possible links to Fazil’s murder, Commissioner Agrawal noted that Safwan and Adil Maharoof’s motives appeared aligned.
Addressing rumours sparked by a viral video, Agrawal clarified that two burqa-clad women seen in the footage were relatives of one of the accused and are being questioned as part of the probe.
Fazil, 23, was hacked to death by a gang of four masked men on July 28, 2022, at the Bee Jay’s clothing store in Surathkal.
Following Shetty’s murder, Dakshina Kannada district witnessed a shutdown in most parts, following a bandh call given by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the prohibitory order clamped by the district administration.
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