Bengaluru: The murders of two executives of an IT firm has led to a political row in Karnataka, with both the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing each other of provocation and abetting crimes to further political agendas.
Late on Tuesday night, the Bengaluru Police arrested three people in connection with the murders of Aeronics Media Private Limited managing director Phanindra Subramanya and its chief executive officer, Vinu Kumar. The arrests came hours after the murders.
Police have identified the suspects as Philics (Felix), Santhu, Arun Kumar and an unidentified person.
The First Information Report, accessed by ThePrint, ascribes the murder to a business rivalry — it claims that a person identified as Arun Kumar, owner of an broadband service provider firm G-Net, had ordered the hit. Arun Kumar is currently absconding.
According to the FIR, both Phanindra Subramanya and Vinu Kumar worked at G-Net before starting their own business, Aeronics around seven months ago. Soon, the company found success, even attracting former employees of G-Net, both of which allegedly irked Arun Kumar.
The development comes at a time when the murder of Jain monk Acharya Kamakumar Nandi ‘Maharaj’ has already raised political temperatures in Karnataka. Accusing the Siddaramaiah government of not investigating the case thoroughly, the BJP has been demanded that the probe be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The twin murders, too, has led to a political row, with many BJP leaders calling Phanindra Subramanya a “seer” and accusing the Congress party of being “anti-Hindu”.
Tweeting about the murders, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s alleged “appeasement”, claiming that “criminals attacking Hindus are given a free pass”. He also retweeted a post that claims Phanindra was “Hindu seer”.
This is the other defining attribute of Cong govts – a direct fallout of Cong appeasement politics – where killers n criminal/terror orgs feel encouraged in their Cong "safe havens"
This is true everywhere Cong n Allies like TMC are in govt – criminals attackkng Hindus are… https://t.co/ixHSbinD6o
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) July 12, 2023
The Congress, meanwhile, accuses its rival of “communalising” the murders.
“BJP is always provoking people and communalising things (issues). They want some or the other law and order problem,” Karnataka’s Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment Eshwar Khandre told reporters Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru City Police said Wednesday that the suspects have been arrested and that an FIR was filed in the case.
Pertaining to this incident, the allegedly accused have been arrested and an FIR has been registered at @amruthahallips. We request namma public to refrain from sharing this incident further while the investigation is underway. https://t.co/2teSTPsJMu
— ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ BengaluruCityPolice (@BlrCityPolice) July 12, 2023
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‘Deteriorating law & order’
A day after the two murders, the BJP has trained its guns on the ruling Congress.
“One more day, one more murder. Humble request from citizens of Karnataka to the Congress govt, is to provide the “Guarantee of Life”, irrespective of whether other Guarantees are delivered or not! Law & Order situation has completely deteriorated since Congress assumed power,” B.Y. Vijayendra, a first-time BJP MLA and the vice-president of Karnataka BJP unit, tweeted.
Vijayendra is the son of former chief minister and BJP veteran B.S. Yeddiyurappa.
One more day, one more murder.
Humble request from citizens of Karnataka to the Congress govt, is to provide the "Gaurantee of Life", irrespective of whether other Guarantees are delivered or not!
Law & Order situation has completely deteriorated since Congress assumed power. pic.twitter.com/kGrxwnw8xi
— Vijayendra Yeddyurappa (@BYVijayendra) July 12, 2023
Claims of Phanindra being a “Hindu seer” also came from other BJP leaders such as Sunil Deodhar, the BJP general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh.
Hindu Seer brutally murdered in Bengaluru.#Paneendra_subramanyam no more.
Alarming situation in #Karnataka has arrived due to a Government that idolises tyrant #TipuSultan.
Everyone should strongly protest !#CongressHaiToKillingsHai pic.twitter.com/IuybCWjEo4
— Sunil Deodhar (@Sunil_Deodhar) July 11, 2023
In his response, Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment Khandre said: “(The) Congress government will maintain law & order…so those violating (peace) and those indulging in antisocial activities will be dealt with a heavy hand.”
As for the murder of 58-year-old Jain monk Kaamakumar Nandi, two people have been arrested with the police blaming it on a financial dispute.
Nandi was reported missing on 6 July from Nandi Parvata Jain Basadi, a Jain temple in Belgavi district where he had been staying for 15 years. A day later, his dismembered body was traced to a borewell in Hirekudi village, where the temple is located.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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