The Karnataka police have been probing the murder of the Bajrang Dal activist Harsha Hindu in Shivamogga by a gang of armed men on February 20. The crime is currently being viewed as a result of a long-standing communal rivalry between the victim and the now arrested accused.
The police are currently attempting to find links between the accused to ascertain how they gathered to carry out the crime, while the individuals arrested have been sent to police custody till March 7, by a local court.
As per a report of The Indian Express, the murder of the right-wing activist, with a record of spewing hate and derogatory comments against Muslims, took place amidst tensions in Karnataka over the Hijab row is also being considered by the police.
“There is no immediate motive that has emerged from the investigations into the murder. It seems to be part of a long rivalry between Hindutva gangs and Muslim gangs in the area,” a senior police official was quoted by the Express, who indicated that further investigation is being carried out.
Harsha Nagaraj alias Harsha Hindu was murdered by a gang on the night of February 20 in Shivamogga as he was isolated from his friends, for a while, after dinner at a restaurant, that night.
The gang attacked and hacked Harsha to death with swords, following which violence broke out in the Shivamogga when Harsha’s funeral procession was taken out, the next morning.
Although the police are uncertain as to what provoked the death of the Bajrang Dal activist, they have revealed that investigations so far have suggested that that rivalry had built up over time and had been planned well in advance.
The police also revealed that Harsha’s altercation with the prime accused, about six months ago on the premises of a local court, could have been a reason behind the rivalry and murder.
“A rivalry had built up over a period of time on account of the Bajrang Dal activities that Harsha was overtly involved with, culminating in the hijab protests,” Express. quoted a police source as saying.
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