Mangaluru: Bantwal Rural police have issued a notice to RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in connection with the investigation into the May 2025 murder of Abdul Rahiman in Dakshina Kannada.
Police are expected to question Bhat at his residence in Kalladka on Saturday, September 26. According to police sources, investigators want to record his statement after examining alleged phone contacts between Bhat and some of the accused around the time of the killing.
The notice is part of the ongoing investigation and does not establish Bhat's involvement in the murder.
The case relates to the killing of Abdul Rahiman, who was attacked while unloading sand from a pickup truck near Irakodi in Kuriyala village of Bantwal taluk on May 25, 2025. Another man, Kalandar Shafi, was seriously injured in the attack. Contemporary reporting said police had initially arrested three suspects and were investigating the motive and possible involvement of others.
The murder occurred shortly after the killing of Suhas Shetty, leading to concerns that the Abdul Rahiman attack could have been retaliatory. The incident subsequently heightened tensions in parts of Dakshina Kannada.
The case has since expanded, with police reportedly arresting 13 people under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA), as per the information provided in the ongoing case investigation.
VHP objects to police notice
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sharan Pumpwell has objected to the notice issued to Bhat and questioned why the RSS leader is being asked to appear in the case.
Pumpwell alleged that the police action was politically motivated and claimed that Hindu organisations were being targeted. He also questioned whether authorities were attempting to arrest Bhat under the pretext of recording his statement.
Pumpwell further referred to the proposed BC Road Chalo programme and demanded that the notice be withdrawn.
These allegations are political claims and have not been established by the police or a court.
Police investigation continues
Investigators are expected to record Bhat's statement as part of their efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding Abdul Rahiman's killing and determine whether any additional individuals had links to the accused.
The police notice itself is a step in the investigation and does not amount to an arrest or a finding of guilt against Bhat.
The Abdul Rahiman case remains under investigation, with police continuing to examine the alleged links among those accused and the circumstances leading to the killing.
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