Mangaluru: The BJP has sharply criticised Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader for giving a clean chit to the family of Mohammed Fazil—murdered in 2022—regarding their alleged involvement in the recent killing of Hindutva activist and rowdy-sheeter Suhas Shetty. Khader had stated that Fazil’s family denied any involvement and claimed Shetty’s murder stemmed from group rivalry. However, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal later confirmed that Fazil’s brother Adil was involved in the crime.

BJP leaders including district president Sathish Kumpala, MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, and several MLAs condemned Khader’s comments, calling them inappropriate for a constitutional authority and questioning their potential influence on the police investigation. Kumpala accused Khader of displaying a “jihadi mindset” and demanded clarity on the standards applied to elected officials making sensitive statements.

The BJP also targeted Home Minister G Parameshwara’s proposed Anti-Communal Task Force, labelling it an “Anti-Hindu force” and demanded an NIA probe into Shetty’s murder.

Separately, the police have identified a Surathkal resident named Sachin (25), who made a provocative YouTube comment under the alias ‘Mr Silent Lvr’ related to the murder. A case has been registered and transferred to the Mangaluru CEN crime police.