Authorities raised the state of security alert in Shimoga, a town in the Indian state of Karnataka, and banned any gatherings under Article 144 of India's Criminal Procedure Act of 1973. The nationalist, who was killed on Sunday in mysterious circumstances, has deployed police forces in many neighborhoods of Shimoga city to prevent the recurrence of riots.
For his part, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gnanendra said that the tension in the state over the issue of banning headscarves in educational institutions has nothing to do with the killing of the 23-year-old Hindu Harsha.
Miscreants pelted stones at a funeral procession of #Harsha, a Bajrang Dal worker, who was stabbed to death, was being carried under tight police security in Karnataka's Shivamogga.
#HinduLivesMatters #SaveShimogaHindus pic.twitter.com/3EzCchi4td
— Y (@kimdokja99) February 21, 2022
The minister indicated that no specific organization has been accused so far, calling on citizens to calm down and not respond to any incitement, as he promised to investigate the killing of the young man by a team formed for this matter, and to work on prosecuting his killers, especially after the arrest of 3 people suspected of being linked to the incident. .
The police also indicated that his killing appears to be linked to a previous enmity to him, and Basavarg Bomay, Chief Minister of Karnataka state, confirmed that the police had found indications and leads during their investigations, and were working to reveal the rest of the circumstances, and Indian newspapers quoted the police that the criminal record of the dead young man includes a number of Criminal records and attempted assault.
Bajrang Dal goons are pelting stones at the homes of Muslims, the police are watching the spectacle.
#karnatak#SaveShimogaMuslims pic.twitter.com/31CQfA3DXg
— Md Faizan🖋 (@MDFaizan2047) February 21, 2022
Talks and rumors had spread about the relationship of the incident of stabbing the Hindu young man, Harsha, by unknown persons, with the subject of the veil, against the background of his comment about the veil on social media, which is expected to be confirmed or denied by the ongoing investigations.
Despite the ambiguity of the circumstances I have said so far, Muslim journalists and activists in India have talked about the belief of some cadres of the ruling party and activists of the Hindu nationalist Bajrang Dal Organization that Muslims killed the young Harsha. He has called the authorities so far, but he has not said what his organization wants to do.
Women's demonstration against the ban on headscarves in schools in the Indian state of Karnataka (Reuters)
Indian newspapers, quoting eyewitnesses, said that the riots targeted the densely Muslim neighborhoods such as Azad Nagar, Nalbandwadi, BP Street, and Sighati, starting from Sunday night until Monday morning, and caused burning of property and vehicles of citizens, which was shown by clips recorded by citizens. It quickly spread on social media.
Activists on social networking pages warned that violence against the Muslim minority would expand in Shimoga town and the entire state of Karnataka, as happened to the Muslims of Gujarat in 2002, in light of the continuing crisis of banning headscarves in educational institutions, especially with the state's Supreme Court not ending its deliberations in the matter. The hijab case brought by a lawyer for girls who were prevented from studying with their hijab.
Tweeters called for stopping the rhetoric of incitement and calming the tense atmosphere during the past weeks in a number of towns in India against the background of the veil issue and the local elections taking place in stages in some states.