Karnataka Assembly speaker urges citizens to trust justice system amid brewing tensions over Suhas Shetty murder

'I clearly stated that once arrests were made, investigations would reveal both direct and indirect involvement, and that all offenders would be punished as per the law,' Khader said.

Mangaluru: Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader appealed to all citizens to place their trust in the justice system, behave responsibly, and strive to preserve communal harmony and peace in the society.

He was referring to the brewing unrest in the state in the backdrop of the murder of the Hindu activist and rowdy sheeter Suhas Shetty.

In a social media post, he said "The recent murder of Suhas Shetty has led to considerable unrest at the local level, largely due to circulating rumours that the murder may have had communal motives. During this sensitive time, while responding to a media query, I had expressed the possibility that the incident could be a result of a gang war between criminal groups. I also made it very clear that the truth behind the incident would come to light only after the arrests of the accused."

"Soon after the incident, when rumours began spreading that the murder was an act of retaliation for the Fazil murder, Fazil's father and brother personally contacted me, stating unequivocally that they had no involvement whatsoever in the incident. I merely conveyed it to the media — nowhere did I assert that they were entirely not involved in the crime. At that time, the police were actively pursuing leads and working towards arresting the culprits, and I clearly stated that once arrests were made, investigations would reveal both direct and indirect involvement, and that all offenders would be punished as per the law," he said.

"Even before the arrest of the suspects, certain local leaders tried to exploit the situation by giving the incident a communal angle, thereby creating division and unrest within society to gain political mileage. At such a critical juncture, my sole intention was to maintain peace and harmony within the community. I had no agenda to speak in favour or against any individual or group," he added.

Khader said "Unfortunately, some who failed to gain political advantage from the case are now misinterpreting my statements deliberately, spreading misinformation. This is not only a reflection of their ignorance, but also a blatant violation of the responsibilities entrusted to public representatives and the values enshrined in our Constitution. Such distortions undermine the social fabric and serve no constructive purpose," he added.