Suhas Shetty Murder: Cops Probe Revenge Angle, Say 'Government Aid Money Was Used To Fund Killing'

Mangaluru: In a chilling twist to the murder case of rowdy sheeter and Hindu activist Suhas Shetty, police investigations have revealed that the hit was allegedly funded using part of a government compensation meant for the family of murder victim Mohammed Fazil.

Shetty, who was the main accused in Fazil’s 2022 murder, was brutally hacked to death in Bajpe’s Kinnikambla area on May 1 by a group of assailants. The attackers intercepted Shetty's vehicle at Kinnipadavu Cross and killed him with lethal weapons in full public view.

What Did Police Investigation Reveal?

According to a report by News18, the police stated that Adil Mehroof, brother of Mohammed Fazil, allegedly used Rs 3 lakh from the Rs 25 lakh compensation his family received in 2023 to pay for the murder of Shetty.

This government aid was sanctioned under the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. No such compensation had been offered under the previous BJP-led Basavaraj Bommai administration.

Police said Adil, who works as a truck driver, harboured a deep desire for revenge since his brother’s death and joined hands with Abdul Safwan, another individual with personal animosity against Shetty. Safwan had reportedly been assaulted by Shetty’s associates last year and feared for his own life.

The two allegedly assembled a team and plotted the murder over several weeks, finally executing it earlier this week. So far, eight suspects have been arrested and two more are on the radar, accused of helping track Shetty’s movements.

Communal Tensions In Mangaluru

Following the murder, communal tensions flared in Mangaluru. A bandh call by the VHP saw widespread shutdowns, and KSRTC suspended services after incidents of stone-pelting. The unrest prompted Home Minister G Parameshwara to announce the formation of a new Anti Communal Task Force, distinct from the existing unit under the Mangaluru Police Commissionerate.

Police clarified that early investigations reveal no terror links in the case and have attributed the murder to a revenge-driven conspiracy rather than ideological motives.