Bajrang Dal co-convenor hails anti-Hindu murder and threatens rationalist K S Bhagwan

As news of Dr. M M Kalburgi being shot dead by suspected #Hindutva activists hit Twitter, Bhuvith Shetty, co-convenor of #Bajrang Dal‘s Bantwal cell has claimed responsibility for anti-Hindu murders while issuing a threat to K S Bhagwan “you are next”. (Note: earlier version of this line made it appear as though *I* was saying U A Anantamoorty was murdered – I was describing his tweet. Dr. Anantamurty died of kidney failure last August. He was not murdered.)

U R Anantamoorty and Prof Kalburgi were close friends and had angered Hindutva activists with their views on idol worship. U R Anantamoorty passed away last August.

Bhuvith Shetty who goes by the handle @GarudaPurana describes himself as

“Co-convenor #Bajrangdal Bantwal, Ex-Prisoner, Campaigner @SowjanyaJustice, [needs translation], Photographer @BhuviClicks. I believe Music = @kschithra,Cricket = Srilanka”

Then it was UR Anantamoorty and now it is MM Kalburgi. Mock Hinduism and die a dogs #death. And dear KS bhagwan you are next.

The Twitter account is now inaccessible. It is unclear whether Bhuvith Shetty deleted his tweets and account or whether Twitter suspended it for issuing threat.

Mangalore #police has been intimated

@compolmlr Kindly take note of this credible threat from @GarudaPurana.
I will file a formal complaint shortly. 1/n pic.twitter.com/0ENOYb8Fke

— Nilim Dutta (@NilimDutta) August 30, 2015

The location of the tweet issuing the threat was at Bantwal, near Mangalore, which has seen a steep rise in #communal crimes in recent years.

@Vidyut His exact location is probably, Bantwal, about 25-30 Kms east of Mangalore.

— Nilim Dutta (@NilimDutta) August 30, 2015

Others on Twitter have reported that he has earlier boasted about crimes as well earlier in July when he boasted about chopping off the hand of a Muslim for smuggling cows.

@yehlog In July Also He Openly Boasted Of Chopping Hand Of A Muslim. He Changes His Handle Name. GOI Ktk Sleeping? @sardesairajdeep @Vidyut

— iAmMusa (@onlyursmusa) August 30, 2015

https://twitter.com/IrshadBajpe/status/621296111806865408

Further information awaited.

#Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, rationalists from #Maharashtra had been shot dead in cold blood after receiving threats from Hindutva organizations. The investigations for the #murder have been stagnant with allegations of cover up and a lack of interest in punishing the murders.

Supporters of the ruling #BJP appear to have come to the defense of Bhuvith saying that he does not mean it and was just tweeting. It is a strange “just tweeting” to engage in, but given that the “young”, “ignorant”, “over-enthusiastic” person is also a role holder in a notoriously violent organization routinely implicated in communal crimes in the region, the excuses appear to be absurd. As absurd as the idea that a co-convenor’s tweets on the murders of people his organization has issued threats to in the past, someone who proudly adds “ex-prisoner” to his profile should be considered an idle teenager. Apparently co-convenors in bajrangdal are snotty teenagers while the mobs thrashing people, chopping off hands or murdering, rioting follow said snotty teenagers.

This post will be updated as more information is known.