Suhas Shetty is a 42-year-old former activist associated with the right-wing Indian group Bajrang Dal. On May 1, 2025, Shetty was ambushed and fatally attacked near Kinnipadavu in Mangaluru while traveling with five companions.
Suhas Shetty, a known noisy Sheerter and Hindutva activist, was murdered by an unidentified group on Thursday night at the Bajpe police station in Mangaluru City.
Shetty was arrested in 2022 when he was one of the main defendants in the murder of Mohammed Fazil, a 23-year-old Muslim youth from Mangalapete, Surathkal, Karnataka. Shortly after the assassination of BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru, the killings of Fazil caused increased community tensions in the area.
The attackers armed with swords and sharp weapons, blocking their vehicles and launching attacks. Shetty succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to AJ Hospital.
In response to the murder, the Mangalore authorities imposed a ban order under Article 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS) until May 6 to prevent further unrest. Vishwa Hindu Diocese (VHP) and other right-wing groups organized a band in Dakshina Kannada, resulting in widespread closures and violence, including stone shaping on buses.
