Two weeks after the murder of Suhas Shetty, Mangaluru city continues to grapple with fear and disruption. The impact on daily life has been significant, with private city buses and long-route operators reducing services, especially during late evening and early morning hours.
Azeez Parthipady, president of the Dakshina Kannada City Bus Owners Association, reported that although buses operate till 9:45–10 pm, ridership has dropped dramatically. “There are evenings with just two or three passengers,” he said, adding that the atmosphere of anxiety has particularly discouraged women from traveling at night. The early closure of shops post-murder and during the ensuing bandh also led to a 30–35% dip in revenue for the city’s bus services. While there’s been some recovery, losses persist.
Currently, about 330 out of 348 city buses are in regular operation, but the reduced passenger count continues to impact daily operations.
In response to the ongoing restrictions, advocate Vivekananda Paniyala penned an open letter questioning the legality of the police’s actions. He criticized the forced early closure of shops (between 8 pm and 9:30 pm until recently) as excessive and lacking justification. “Such prolonged curbs are unwarranted and violate basic constitutional rights under Articles 19(1)(g) and 21,” he stated.
Paniyala argued that the police should focus on enhancing intelligence and patrolling, rather than imposing blanket restrictions. He called for a public explanation from authorities regarding the legal grounds for the continued limitations on trade and movement.
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