Politicians exploit our children: murdered Suhas's father laments

Mangaluru: The body of Suhas Shetty, a former Bajrang Dal activist who was killed in Bajpe, in Karnataka’s Mangaluru, and an accused in several cases, including murder, was cremated in his native village of Bandwal Pulimajalu on Friday evening. Suhas's father, Mohan Shetty, told reporters that politicians are exploiting their children for their own interests.

"This pyre will burn down. Those gathered here will disperse. But will the fire in families losing children to violence go out? Politicians are exploiting our children for their own gain. How can we bear it when our children are dying before our eyes at such a young age?" he asked tearfully.

"Our innocent children, who were to be the backbone of the family, are taking to the streets saying they are Hindus. What have we got now? We have lost our son. We have no one. We are parents who have lost everything. Our son had said many times that his life was in danger. He had been told to come home early at night. He lost his life because of the bias of the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government," he alleged.

Suhas’s mother, Sulochana, said that her son always lived by chanting Hindutva slogans. She also demanded that her son's killers be punished.

A large number of people gathered on BC Road in Bantwal to pay their last respects to Suhas Shetty. Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik, Belthangady MLA Harish Pooncha, RSS leader Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat and others accompanied the funeral procession that took place in an ambulance from Mangaluru AJ Hospital to his home.

Suhas Shetty and associates were travelling by road when they were attacked by assailants in a car and a goods vehicle. The assailants first rammed the goods vehicle onto Suhas's Innova. Then, assailants jumped out of the other car and hacked the Bajrang Dal activist, who was accused in multiple criminal cases, including murder, to death. He was brought dead to hospital along with his injured associates.