Arrest killers, get Rs 1 lakh reward, businessman tells cops

MANGALURU: With Mangaluru city police not making any progress in the investigation into the murder of mechanical engineer Karthik Raj in Konaje, an entrepreneur has announced Rs 1 lakh cash award to police, if they arrest culprits in 30 days.
The announcement was made on Sunday by Prakash Shetty, businessman and a resident of Assaigoli, during a protest organised to urge police to speed up the investigation.
The day-long protest was held in front of Konaje police station. He said it has been five months since Karthik Raj was brutally murdered just a few meters away from the jurisdictional police station. However, police have not made any breakthrough so. We suspect vested interests trying to divert investigation. If they (police) arrest the real culprits in a month, I will give them a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh,” he said.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, who spoke on the occasion, criticised the state government over killing of innocent Hindus and delays in arrests. He said that many Hindu youths were assaulted and killed in Ullal area in the recent past.
Former MLA I M Jayaram Shetty added that if anyone throws stones at mosque, police arrest the culprits within hours but it is not the same with crimes against Hindus.
Parents of Karthik Raj urged police to give them justice. Earlier in the day, a rally was held from Ganesh Mahal, the spot where Karthik was killed, to Konaje police station. More than 400 persons joined the rally.
Karthik, son of BJP leader Umesh Pajir, was assaulted by unidentified miscreants near Ganesh Mahal, while he was jogging on October 23, 2016. Later, he succumbed to head injuries at a private hospital the same day.