Bantwal: Thousands of Hindu organisation activists turned out in large numbers to bid farewell to Suhas Shetty, a Hindu activist who was murdered in Kinnipadavu, Bajpe, on Thursday night. His funeral procession on Friday drew massive crowds and evoked a strong emotional response across Dakshina Kannada.
Huge turnout as body reaches native village
The mortal remains of Suhas Shetty were transported from a Mangaluru hospital to his native residence in Pulimajalu, Karinja, Bantwal. The funeral procession, which passed through BC Road, was joined by thousands of activists chanting slogans in Shetty’s honour.
Given the scale of the crowd, the authorities deployed a heavy police force to maintain law and order. Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik Ulippadiguttu personally oversaw the arrangements for the procession, ensuring it proceeded without incident.
BJP, RSS, and Hindu organisation leaders attend
Several prominent leaders from the BJP and Hindu organisations were present to pay their respects. These included RSS leader Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja, Mangaluru North MLA Dr Bharath Shetty, and BJP district president Satish Kempala.
VHP-called bandh brings Bantwal to a standstill
A bandh organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in protest of the killing saw widespread shutdowns across several towns including BC Road, Bantwal, Punjalakatte, Karinja, Vagg, Kalladka, Siddakatte, and Vamadapadavu.
Most commercial establishments remained shut while essential services such as milk booths, pharmacies, newspaper delivery, and government offices stayed operational. Although some buses and auto-rickshaws operated briefly in the morning, services were later suspended. In several areas, Hindu activists assisted commuters by offering alternate transport.
Tense moments amid protests
Around 11 a.m., a large gathering assembled near the BC Road bus stand, where protestors demanded the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
Tensions briefly escalated when an auto-rickshaw attempted to pass through the crowd, but timely intervention by senior leaders and police officers brought the situation under control.
The funeral procession paused at several locations, including Bantwal Bypass and Vagg Junction, to allow the public to offer their respects.
Police maintain tight security
Law enforcement authorities, including Inspector General Amit Singh and Superintendent of Police Yatish N., monitored the situation closely to prevent any untoward incidents.
MLA slams government over law and order
Speaking at the event, MLA Rajesh Naik Ulippadiguttu strongly condemned the murder and blamed the Congress-led state government for the deteriorating law and order situation.
He accused the government of minority appeasement and claimed that such policies had emboldened criminal elements in the region, creating fear and unrest among the Hindu community.
