Fueling a controversy, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra on Wednesday claimed that a 22-year-old youth was killed here recently because he knew Urdu, but later withdrew it saying the incident was in fact. The road was on rage.
His statement drew a sharp reaction from the opposition parties.
Gyanendra said, “I have gathered information regarding the murder of Chandru. He was asked to speak in Urdu, he did not know, when he said that he does not know any other language other than Kannada, he asked him to speak in Urdu.” Killed by stabbing him repeatedly.”
Mentioning that the victim is a Dalit youth and was murdered in an inhuman manner, he said that the police have already arrested some people in connection with the case and further investigation is on.
However, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said that the murder took place over a road rage.
“At around 2:30 pm on the midnight of April 4, Simon Raj and Chandru, both friends, had gone to an eatery in Hosagudahalli, and were returning as the shop was closed. While returning on their bikes, they collided with each other. The bike, which was carrying a Shahid,” he said.
This led to a fight. “During the fight, two friends (who joined him) by Shahid stabbed Chandru on the right thigh and the attackers fled the spot.”
“Chandru was taken to Victoria Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The three accused have been arrested,” Pant said.
Gyanendra later retracted his statement, saying that it was source based information, which was “wrong”. “I just got the detailed report. I had said that it (murder) was due to a language issue, but that is not true…. After the bike collision incident, he died of stabbing, ” said the minister.
Hitting out at Gyanendra, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said it was “unfortunate” that he is the state’s home minister and “unfit to continue in office”.
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said the home minister’s statement was aimed at disturbing communal harmony in the state and was “irresponsible”.
“They (the ruling BJP) are trying to do politics even in the murder case…” he said.
Responding to the developments, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is currently in New Delhi, said, he has no information about the incident and will collect them.
He said, “I will not comment without knowing the details of the case, I will get the details of the case…. based on which I will see what he has said and then comment.”
Mr. Gyanendra had earlier courted controversy over his remarks made in the context of a gang rape incident in Mysore.
He had said that the gang-rape victim and her male friend should not have gone to the secluded place and claimed that the opposition Congress was trying to “rape” her by targeting her after the incident.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)