RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat booked for provocative speech in Karnataka’s Bantwal

Bhat addressed approximately 500 attendees, allegedly made remarks deemed potentially disruptive to peace between communities, said the police.

The Bantwal Rural Police Station registered the case, citing concerns over the provocative nature of the address and its potential to affect law and order in the district. The police registered a case under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for statements that could disturb communal harmony and public order.

Authorities said they are pursuing further legal proceedings against Bhat, emphasising the importance of maintaining communal harmony and preventing incitement.

Eleven people were arrested in connection with the murder of Suhas Shetty. Shetty had five cases against him — four in Mangaluru city and one in Dakshina Kannada district. He was the prime accused in the murder of Mohammed Fazil, 23, in Surathkal on July 28, 2022.

On May 27, Abdul Rahiman, 32, a resident of Kolthamajalu in Bantwal taluk, was murdered while he was unloading sand near a customer’s house. His friend and co-worker Kalandar Shafi, 29, who was severely injured in the attack, is currently being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital.

Following the recent murders in the coastal region, the Karnataka Government last Thursday made a major reshuffle and transferred superintendents of police of several districts.

Anupam Agrawal, Mangaluru city police commissioner, was transferred as Deputy Inspector General or DIG, Economic Offences Wing, Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Agrawal was replaced by Sudheer Kumar Reddy, who was DIG (Intelligence). Yatish N, SP, Dakshina Kannada, was replaced by Arun K. Hariram Shankar, who was SP (Intelligence), was appointed as SP of the Udupi district.