Bajrang Dal activist murder: 8 arrested, probe underway; RAF deployed in Karnataka's Udupi

Bengaluru: As many as eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, the Karnataka Home Minister said, "Until last night, six suspects were arrested and today two more arrests have been made."

“Eight persons have been arrested as of now officially, others are being interrogated, investigation going on in all angles. Senior officers, including 2 ADGPs, and the Police force are doing an investigation,” the Karnataka Home Minister said while replying to questions on Bajrang Dal activist Harsha's death case.

Eight arrested as of now officially, others are being interrogated, investigation going on in all angles. Senior officers, including 2 ADGPs, and the Police force are doing an investigation: Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Bajrang Dal activist Harsha's death case pic.twitter.com/OUVj5nsLIC — ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

Talking about the situation in the state in view of the hijab ban protests, he said that “Everything is under control, peace has been restored in Shivamogga. I thank people for that. Police are taking action which is needed at this point in time. There is no question of safeguarding anybody, a thorough investigation will be done & action will be taken against culprits.’’

On Tuesday, a total of six people were arrested and 12 were questioned by the state police, BM Laxmi Prasad, Superintendent of police, Shivamogga, had said. "The six accused arrested in the case are Mohammed Kashif, Sayed Nadeem, Afsifullah Khan, Rehan Sharef, Nihan, and Abdul Afnan," said Prasad.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of the district Selvamani R announced that CrPC section 144 has been extended by two more days till Friday morning. Bajrang Dal worker Harsha was allegedly murdered on Sunday night in Shivamogga. Security was tightened in the city following the incident. 

Police presence has been increased in most sensitive areas and Rapid Action Force has been deployed in Udupi following the murder of the Bajrang Dal worker in Shivamogga.

Karnataka | Route patrolling by Rapid Action Force and Police in Udupi, following the murder of Bajrang Dal worker in Shivamogga pic.twitter.com/nK5rtyH9m1 — ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

The Karnataka High Court will again resume hearing on the petitions challenging the ban on wearing hijab in state schools and colleges on Wednesday. The full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit is hearing a batch of petitions seeking permission to wear a Hijab inside the classroom.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the Karnataka government told the High Court that there is no restriction on wearing Hijab in India with reasonable restrictions subject to institutional discipline and dismissed the charge that denial to wear the headscarf was a violation of Article 15 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination of every sort.

Countering the petitioner Muslim girls from Udupi district, who challenged the restriction on Hijab inside the educational institutions, Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi said the right to wear the headscarf falls under the category of 19(1)(A) and not Article 25 as has been argued by the petitioners.

"The right to wear Hijab falls under Article 19(1)(A) and not Article 25. If one wishes to wear Hijab, then there is no restriction 'subject to the institutional discipline'. The rights claimed under Article 19(1)(A) is related to Article 19(2) where the government places a reasonable restriction subjected to institutional restriction," Navadgi told the full bench of the Karnataka High Court.

Navadgi further said the institutional restriction in the present case is only inside the educational institutions and not anywhere else. Arguing further, he said the independent claim of 19(1)(A) cannot go together with Article 25.

"The consequence of the demand to declare Hijab as an essential religious practice is huge because there is an element of compulsion or else you will be expelled from the community," Navadgi told the court. Article 19(1)(A) is related to the freedom of expression of the Indian constitution.

Giving clear indications of an early verdict in the hijab row, the Karnataka High Court Special bench, constituted to look into the petitions submitted by students demanding their right to wear hijab in classrooms, on Tuesday directed counsels to complete their arguments by this week.

The Chief Justice (CJ) Ritu Raj Awasthi has asked the Advocate General (AG) Prabhuling Navadgi, who is representing the government, to complete his submissions at the earliest.