We know how to handle the situation, says CM Bommai on Dakshina Kannada murders

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said Friday that special measures will be taken to clamp down on anti-social forces in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts while asserting that his government is capable of handling the situation.

Speaking to reporters, Bommai said that the government has taken the deaths of Mohammed Masood, Praveen Nettaru, and Mohammed Fazil seriously. “The life of every citizen is important,” he said.

The murders have exposed communal fault lines in the two districts.

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“I am meeting the director-general and other senior police officers to take stock of what we can do in the coastal areas of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi,” he said. “We will take some decisions for the two districts based on suggestions given by officials,” he added.

Bommai said miscreants are entering Karnataka from Kerala. “There are 55 roads from the Kerala border. We will take discuss how they need to be managed,” he said.

Hitting back at Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah for criticising the government, Bommai said, “When Siddaramaiah was there (as CM), there were 32 killings. What was he doing? It’s not right to do politics in everything.”

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Ruling out the resignation of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Bommai said his government knows how to handle the situation.

“In the first murder case (Masood), we’ve arrested the accused. In other cases also, action will be taken,” he said.

Blaming the SDPI and PFI, Bommai said the previous Congress government allowed the two outfits to grow by withdrawing more than 200 cases against their workers. “They even attacked Congress MLA Tanveer Sait,” Bommai said. “Now, they’re doing their thing again.”

According to Bommai, there’s more to these murders. “This is an organised crime. These things shouldn’t happen. But, the anti-social forces are being given some encouragement, even political. They’re coming from across the Kerala border,” he said. “Wait for a few days and you’ll see the action.”