Bajrang Dal and HJV call for a Katipalla bandh on Thursday

Surathkal: Following the gruesome murder of Deepak Rao on Wednesday, the communally sensitive Katipalla area was tense and all the shops and commercial establishments are shut.

A few miscreants pelted stones at a private bus plying from Surathkal to Soorinje.

Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Vedike have called for bandh in Suratkal and Katipalla areas on Thursday.

State food and civil supplies minister, U T Khader, condemned the murder of Hindu activist, Deepak Rao and said “This is the work of people who do not want peace in the society. I congratulate the police who arrested the culprits in a short span,”

MLA, Mohiuddin Bava, rushed to the city and met Deepak’s family and assured to provide permanent employment to the brother of Deepak and also to make efforts to get maximum compensation from the government.

He said that he has already instructed the concerned to take stringent action against the culprits.

He requested the general public to remain peaceful.

Chief whip of the opposition in the state legislative council, Capt Ganesh Karnik, has strongly condemned the murder. He accused the state government of going soft on murders of Hindu youth in the state.

MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, has urged the state government to disburse compensation of Rs 50 lakh to Deepak’s family and also to hand over investigation into the incident to National Investigation Agency.