The mysterious death of 21-year-old Paresh Mesta at Kumta, a coastal town in Karnataka two days ago has become a major political row between ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP.
In Bengaluru BJP leaders led by former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa submitted a memorandum on Tuesday to Governor Vajubjai Vala and demanded an NIA probe into the killing of Paresh Mesta, who was from fisherman community. Yeddyurappa also demanded an NIA probe and blamed Siddaramaiah Government for the killings of Hindu activists. The BJP has maintained that Paresh Kamalakar Mesta was a Hindu activist killed by jihadi elements.
In the memorandum the BJP has alleged that the body of the youth, Paresh Mesta, was mutilated, he was castrated, his head burnt by boiling oil and split with a sharp weapon after he went missing during clashes in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. However police denied any such thing happened and released a post-mortem report in the social media and also to the mainstream to counter the BJP.
Siddaramaiah slammed the BJP saying "a desperate BJP has stooped so low as to use the unfortunate death of a youth Paresh Mesta in Honnavar for political gains".
"BJP leaders are heeding the advice of Amit Shah to create trouble and invite police action. People are getting hurt by their irresponsible acts," he tweeted.
The Congress Government ruled out handing over the probe to the NIA but blamed the BJP for creating unrest in poll bound Karnataka which is crucial for both the parties. Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said “ we are not going to handover the probe to NIA. It is the creation of BJP and wants to flare up communal tension in the poll bound state. The town is peaceful and police have taken necessary steps to prevent any untoward incident and violence.”
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu groups clashed with the police while protesting in Karnataka's Sirsi on Tuesday.
Violence had erupted on Monday at Kumta in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka over mysterious death of a Hindu activist 21 year old Paresh Mesta. Angry mob pelted stones at police jeeps and set IGP Hemanth Nimbalkar's (Western range) car on fire. The car driver was injured in the violence along with a PSI. The police lathi charged and used tear gas to disperse the mob.
All shops in Kumta town remained closed. Police have beefed up security in the district. Uttara Kannada in Karnataka is the hot bed of communal politics and this might trigger a nasty communal tension ahead of elections.
Paresh Mesta’s body was found floating in the Shetty Lake located near a temple on Friday night. Local police suspect that Paresh may have fallen into the lake while escaping from the mob. Paresh’s relatives, however, suspect foul play, and told the media that he was an expert swimmer as he belonged to the fishing community. BJP had called for a bandh over the incident which turned violent.
Hemanth Nimbalkar had said violence was the handiwork of criminal elements to divide the society on communal lines for personal gains. However he said the town is peaceful and situation was under control.