BJP worker's murder: Cops fire at car, nab 4

In a swift action, the Mangaluru police arrested four people suspected who are suspected to have murdered BJP activist Deepak Rao (32) at Surathkal on Wednesday.

The police chased the car in which the suspects had come. As they did not stop, the police opened fire at the car and brought it to a halt at Mijar near Moodbidri.

The arrested have been identified as Pinki Nawaz, Naushad, Rizwan and Nishan, police sources in Mangaluru said.

As the Hindu organisations and the BJP have planned to take out a massive funeral procession on Thursday, the police have clamped prohibitory orders from 10 pm on Wednesday to 10 pm Thursday to prevent untoward incidents.

Speaking to DH in Bengaluru, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that he has directed ADGP (Law and Order) Kamal Pant to visit Surathkal to take stock of the situation and conduct a thorough investigation.

Pant has been directed to deploy KSRP forces in sensitive areas, the home minister added.

Surathkal bandh today

Hindu Jagarana Vedike Dakshina Kannada district president Kishore Kumar said in Mangaluru that the Vedike, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have called for a bandh at Katipalla, Surathkal and Kulai on Thursday to protest Rao's murder.

Meanwhile, it is suspected that a clash related to tying of flexes during a religious programme on December 1 could have led to Rao's murder.

The Muslims in the coastal district had observed Eid-Milad on December 1.

A 'Bhoothakola,' a Hindu religious event, at Katipalla Kaikamba temple was also held on the same day. Every year during the 'Bhoothakola', the organisers put up flexes at a particular spot. However on December 1, the Muslim youths had put up a flex at the same spot, which had led to a clash between two groups, it is said.According to the police, there are no criminal cases against Rao. However, preliminary investigation has shown that he was in the group that had an altercation with the other group over putting up a flex on December 1. The police are investigating into the issue as well, a source said.