Bengaluru: Sameer Subhansaab Shahpur (20) and his friend Shamseer Khan Pathan (22), were going to a barber shop on a bike when they were attacked, allegedly by members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal. The alleged attack came only hours after the accused had delivered anti-Muslim speeches in Karnataka’s Gadag district.
Ten to 12 Hindutva workers in Nargund town allegedly stabbed Shahpur in the chest with a knife and hit Pathan in the back with a knife as well as a rod.
Shahpur succumbed to his injuries at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubli at around 6 am on Tuesday while his friend, Pathan remains there in critical condition.
Nargund Police released a press statement in which they said that “communal conflicts” have been reported in the between Hindus and Muslims for the past two months and that students have been “inciting” each other since.
‘Anti-Muslim speech’
On Monday morning, Bajrang Dal members had staged a protest in front of the Nargund police station, demonstrating against the cases that were being filed against their members for the communal clashes that had been taking place. Hate speeches were allegedly being made during the course of their protests.
Videos have surfaced online in which Bajrang Dal member Sanju Nalavadi is heard making inciteful speeches against the minority community.
In one of the videos, a police officer is also seen standing beside Nalavadi while he speaks against Muslims and tells the gathering that the Hindutva organisation would “protect them” and that even the police was “with them”.
Amid chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, the Hindutva leader said, “If they attack us or you (the police), we won’t leave those terrorists. The organisation which protects you (police) is the Bajrang Dal.” -Agencies
