Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said on Monday that the police have arrested three persons in connection with the killing of Harsha (26), a Bajrang Dal activist who was stabbed to death in Shivamogga on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the situation in Shivamogga continues to be volatile with protesters torching a police bus on Monday.

The procession march organised for Harsha turned violent as incidents of stone pelting, and torching of vehicles were reported from Shivamogga, forcing the police to use tear gas and lathi charge against the protesters.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped and a holiday has been announced on Monday for schools and colleges in Shivamogga district of Karnataka following the murder of 23-year-old office-bearer of the Bajarang Dal in the communally sensitive city.
IANS

State-wide bandh

Meanwhile, the Bajrang Dal has called for a state-wide bandh on February 23 condemning the killing of one of its activists.

The police have arrested a person named Kasif in connection with the murder. Based on the information provided by him, two other accused have been arrested from Bengaluru.

After committing the murder, the accused came to Bengaluru while Kasif stayed back to avoid suspicion, the police said. 

The accused have told the police that a gang of five people had killed Harsha and the police have launched a hunt to arrest the two absconding accused.

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra

Jnanendra said that there no decision has been taken as such to impose ban on any organisation.

"We will see what can be done in this regard. I am not in a position to share any information on the investigation," he said.

"The mother of the deceased has asked me to punish those responsible for the killing of her son. It will prevent other children from getting killed," Jnanendra added.

Meanwhile, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, K.S. Eshwarappa, said that this was an act of outsiders and he would seek an investigation by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) into the matter.

(With inputs from IANS)