Bengaluru: A federation of Hindu organisations has alleged targeted police action against Hindu activists in Dakshina Kannada district in the wake of the murder of Abdul Rehman in Bantwal on May 27. Representatives of multiple Hindu outfits submitted a memorandum to Director General of Police M.A. Saleem at the State Police Headquarters in Bengaluru on Monday, calling the action a “one-sided crackdown” and a “conspiracy to suppress Hindu voices”.

According to Hindu Janajagruti Samiti state spokesperson Mohan Gowda, cases were filed against 15 Hindu activists overnight and several others have been issued externment notices. “Police are entering homes at night, photographing activists without consent, installing GPS devices, and summoning individuals without formal notice. These actions are creating an atmosphere of fear,” he alleged.

He further claimed that the Communal Violence Prevention Unit was being used selectively against Hindu groups, while no action was taken against SDPI leaders accused of making provocative speeches. Gowda also alleged that complaints filed by Hindus against hate speech from other communities were being ignored, while swift action was taken against Hindu individuals for comments on social media. “This clearly shows an attempt to curtail the freedom of expression of Hindus,” he said.

Raising concerns over the investigation into the earlier murder of Suhas Shetty, Gowda said there was credible suspicion about the involvement of members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), but instead, Hindu leaders were being booked under pressure from religious and political leaders of the Muslim community.

The memorandum also referred to alleged incidents during Abdul Rehman’s funeral procession in Bantwal on May 28, including forced shop closures, attacks on journalists, and stone-pelting. The federation said no action had been taken against those involved.

Sri Rama Sene founder-president Pramod Muthalik, who was also present during the submission of the memorandum, said that several Hindu leaders in Dakshina Kannada had received threatening audio messages via WhatsApp, allegedly from terrorist groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and originating from countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia. He claimed that Suhas Shetty had received similar threats prior to his murder.

Muthalik further said that the sudden mobilisation of large crowds from neighbouring Kerala for protests in Mangaluru was a serious concern. “Though the PFI is banned, its members remain active under the banner of the SDPI. The government must take strict legal action,” he demanded.

The delegation included a number of prominent figures from across the state: Shri Pramod Muthalik (Sri Rama Sene), Advocate Amrutesh N.P., Shri Puneeth Kerehalli, Shri Santosh Kenchamba, Shri Govardhan Singh (Regional Co-convener, Bajrang Dal), Shri Suresh Kumar B. (Joint Regional Secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad), and Shri Rajanna (Joint Regional Coordinator, Hindu Jagarana Vedike - South).

Also in attendance were Shri M. L. Shivakumar (Vijayanagar), Shri Mallikarjun Raju (Youth for Human Rights), Shri Suresh (Azad Brigade, Ramanagara), Shri Sundresh Naragal (Sri Rama Sene, Bengaluru), advocates Prasanna D. P. and G. M. Nataraj (Karnataka High Court), and Shri Deepak Pawar (Shiva Gharjane Sene, Bengaluru), among others.

The federation urged the DGP to ensure that law enforcement acts impartially and that the rights and safety of Hindu leaders and activists are protected.