Bajrang Dal activist murder: Harsha received calls from unknown number on the night of stabbing, says friend

Nearly three days after Bajrang Dal activist Harsha was stabbed to death in Karnataka's Shivamogga, his friend received repeated calls from unknown numbers asking him to come outside.

According to India Today report, Harsha's friend said that they were together till around 7-8 pm when Harsha received video calls from unknown numbers, claiming to be their 'friends'. He said that they rang Harsha up several times on the night of the stabbing.

"Harsha] kept disconnecting the call. They kept calling him. We said four of us will take a vehicle and go. And later we said let's walk and go. We went near a canteen in Bharatinagar and stood," the friend said.

Further his friend said that when they went to get the bike they received a call saying Harsha was being chased by people wielding cricket bats.

"Four of us were together. We arrived around 9 pm to get the bike. Then Kashif [one of the accused] was running with a bat in hand. He [Harsha] was saying earlier that there were altercations. Harsha never used to go out. That day he was out, this happened," the friend said.

For the unversed, Harsha, a 23-year-old Bajrang Dal activist, was stabbed on Sunday night. A resident of Seegehatti, Harsha was rushed to the McGann Hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

So far arrested six individuals have been arrested in connection with the stabbing that took place in Bharati Colony area. 44

Protests in Shivamogga over Harsha's death took a violent turn on February 21 as protesters began to pelt stones, brandish weapons, and even set vehicles ablaze. Police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse the crowd.