The Karnataka Government announced compensation of ₹25 lakh each to the families of four victims of communal murders in Dakshina Kannada district, three of which took place in the year 2022.
The four deceased persons are
- Deepak Rao — murdered on January 3, 2018 in Surathkal
- Masood — murdered on July 19, 2022 at Kalanja in Sullia taluk
- Mohammed Fazil — murdered in Surathkal on July 28, 2022
- Abdul Jaleel — murdered in Surathkal on December 24, 2022
Their families would receive the compensation at Krishna, the Chief Minister’s official residence, on June 19, Deputy Commissioner M.R. Ravi Kumar announced on June 16. He told the tahsildars concerned to accompany eligible family members to Bengaluru, along with files and the relevant cheques.
Mr. Ravi Kumar said the Chief Minister had sanctioned the compensation on the basis of recommendations of the Director General and Inspector General of Police. The compensation is being paid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Deepak Rao, 30, worked in a mobile phone recharge outlet. He was a Bajrang Dal activist. He was hacked to death, allegedly by a group of 13 persons, at Katipalla-Krishnapura in Surathkal police station limits. Mohammed Nawaz, alias Pinky Nawaz, and others were named as accused in the murder, which is suspected to be the fall-out of a group clash.
B. Masood, 19, was allegedly assaulted by eight persons on July 19 at Kalanja village in Bellare police limits following an argument. He succumbed to his injuries on July 21 at a hospital in Mangaluru. Abhilash and others were named as accused in the murder.
Fazil, 22, was allegedly randomly targetted on July 28 in Surathkal, two days after the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Nettaru in Bellare police station limits. On August 2, police arrested Suhan Shetty and five others in connection with the murder.
Jaleel, 45, was hacked to death inside his shop in Katipalla under Surathkal police station limits. Police arrested Shailesh and others in connection with the murder.
While Fazil’s father Ummar Farooq had in 2022 petitioned the Chief Minister demanding compensation, many organisations had urged the Karnataka government to compensate families of all victims of communal murders.
