Authorities in Karnataka’s Shivamogga have deployed additional police forces, prohibited gatherings of over four people, and shut educational institutions amid tensions after the murder late on Sunday of a 23-year-old worker of the Bajrang Dal, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)’s youth wing.
Police said Harsha’s assailants chased him in a car before attacking him. He was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Some vehicles were set on fire following the murder.
Shivamogga Police Superintendent BM Lakshmi Prasad said Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has been imposed in the district as a precautionary measure to prevent gatherings. “We will take a call on tomorrow [Tuesday] after a review of the situation in the [Monday] evening. There were minor incidents last [Sunday] night. We have increased the police deployment across the district…”Police said extra precautions were being taken amid the ongoing tensions in the state over the hijab ban. Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said the murder is unrelated to the hijab controversy. “It has happened for different reasons. Shivamogga is a sensitive city. The incident took place on the main road and the police are on high alert.”
