Rudresh murder suspects are SDPI, PFI members, say police

May question leaders of these organisations

The police are likely to question the office-bearers of Popular Front of India (PFI), Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KDF) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in connection with the recent murder of RSS worker R Rudresh on Kamaraj Road near Shivajinagar. 

“The investigation carried out so far has indicated that Mohammad Sadique, Mohammad Mujibullah, Waseem Ahmad and Irfan Pasha were active members of PFI and SDPI. Irfan Pasha is a rowdy-sheeter in KG Halli and was involved in a murder case. Questioning of the office-bearers of these organisations may throw more light on the murder,” said a senior police officer monitoring the probe.

There are reports that a few organisations based in Kerala and coastal regions of Karnataka funded a group of youths to attack a set of persons. The four arrested for Rudresh’s murder have links with such organisations. It is not yet clear why these organisations want to eliminate a set of people in Karnataka, the officer said.

Mujibullah told the police that Rudresh would often provoke him over petty issues. Some two months ago, Rudresh threatened Mujibullah that he would teach him a lesson and send his body to Pakistan. He lost cool over certain remarks by Rudresh and decided to attack him, the officer added.

Senior police officers are tight-lipped on the identity of the people whom the suspects wanted to murder.

“It is said that they wanted to kill a few leaders, including BJP Yuva Morcha state president and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha. But, nothing of that sort has come out during the interrogation, so far. The suspects did not have a list of their targets as has been mentioned in a section of media,” the officer said.