RTI activist Baliga murder: Supari killers took indirect orders from a senior political leader?

Mangaluru, Mar 28: The Mangaluru police will probe the murder of RTI activist, Vinayak Baliga from various angles. Considering that the two persons arrested in connection with this case, do not have a history of criminal antecedents, the police would look into an aspect of whether they acted on the orders of some other person.

Sources say that these persons may have not acted individually and could have indirectly taken orders from a senior leader of a political party and from someone associated with the Yuva Brigade. While the probe is at a very preliminary stage, the police is leaving no stone unturned to the bottom of the matter.

The multiple reliable sources indicate to OneIndia that alleged contract killers aka supari killers indirectly took orders from a person associated with Yuva Brigade and a senior political leader belonging to a national party.

RTI activist Vinayak Baliga was murdered in the wee hours of March 21, Monday. He was on his way to temple on his scooter, when unidentified persons waylaid him at Kodialbail and killed using sharp weapons. The police investigating the case arrested two, Vineeth Poojary (26) and Nishith Devadiga (23). Both residents of Mangaluru.

The police team led by ACP Tilak Kumar and City Crime Branch, Inspector Valentine D'Souza netted two accused in the murder case on March 27, Sunday. Valentine said "we have arrested the two and hunt for others who has ordered the murder is on."

The police likely to probe victim's RTI activism angle as a cause for death, that mainly include his complaints against a popular Venkataramana Temple run by GSB (Goud Saraswat Brahmin) community, Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited, unauthorised constructions from Mangaluru City Corporation and South Canara District Central Cooperative Bank.

However multiple sources to the tune of 20- 25, from various sections, to whom this news portal spoke to, narrowed down the cause of assassination to, RTI activist Baliga's fight against alleged misappropriation of funds and maladministration in Venkataramana Temple.

Besides a reliable sources from the GSB community, those who are in the know of state of affairs in the temple shockingly revealed that a person belonging to Yuva Brigade (who hail from GSB community and privy to the temple issue) and his close friend affiliated to a national political party have involved in the killing.

Taking specific names of three persons, Shrikanth, Shailesh and Shivu, the sources said these three persons are missing after the incident and the police have to look for them in order to crack the case.

One person named Shrikanth, is a close associate of an individual from Yuva Brigade and Shailesh is close aide of a senior political leader. Another person Shivu is a common friend to both.

Meanwhile, the president of Federation of Indian Rationalist Association, Narendra Nayak said "Baliga after took on temple affairs, recently expressed with one GSB person that- You don't know, some in our community (GSB) are capable of doing anything or going to any extreme." Baliga had hinted this, Nayak divulged.

Nayak is of the opinion that it is not only the temple issue led to the murder of Baliga, but also slue of other issues. "It appears all vested interests colluded to eliminate Baliga. I have a letter written by Baliga, in which he has mentioned number of complaints pertaining to Venkataramana temple's ill administration," Nayak mentioned in the telephonic conversation.

The Mangaluru City Police Commissioner, M Chandra Sekhar in a press meet on March 27 said accused does not have any criminal history attached so far.

While the police only put out the name and the place of the accused, other details were not yet put across to the press. However sources indicate that the both the accused were actively working for a youth Hindu organisation.

OneIndia News