Suhas Shetty, a man with links to right-wing outfits and multiple police cases, was brutally slain in Mangaluru on Friday. Armed with swords and machetes, at least five assailants ambushed him on a bustling street — an act captured on CCTV footage.

Sources say two of the arrested suspects confessed that they were hired to kill Shetty. Allegedly, the contract came from the family of Mohammed Fazil, the 2022 murder victim in a high-profile revenge chain. Shetty had been the prime accused in Fazil’s murder, which itself was believed to be in retaliation for BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru’s killing.

One arrested man claimed he was paid ₹3 lakh, another received ₹2 lakh. Investigators are now verifying these claims, raising a disturbing possibility — was the money given as compensation to Fazil’s family used to fund Shetty’s murder?

After Fazil’s death, the Muslim Central Committee had granted ₹30 lakh to his family. Additionally, the Congress-led state government had awarded them ₹25 lakh in aid.

The police are exploring whether part of this financial support was diverted to hire contract killers. While inquiries continue, officials have imposed prohibitory orders in Mangaluru, restricting gatherings to prevent unrest.

This chilling twist — involving possible misuse of compensation funds and a cycle of vendetta killings — has intensified concerns over rising tensions and the misuse of public and community support.

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