Bengaluru, Feb 2 (Agencies): Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa on Friday visited the family of BJP worker Santosh who was murdered in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The BJP workers blamed the ruling Congress in the state for the murder and carried out protests in the city.
According to a report in NDTV, Yeddyurappa said: "A number of deaths have taken place. Santosh was murdered. The Congress government is responsible for all these murders. I condemn this murder. Siddaramaiah is an irresponsible Chief Minister."
Santhosh was stabbed at JC Nagar in Bengaluru on Wednesday night. He was rushed to a hospital where he bled to death soon after.
Santosh was returning from a birthday party when four men allegedly attacked him and stabbed him with a screwdriver. The police have arrested four men identified as Wasim, Phillips, Umar and Irfan in connection with the murder.
Investigations so far have revealed that Santosh and the prime accused Wasim - son of a Congress functionary - had several run-ins over the last four months. Apart from Wasim who is the son of block Congress president, Khadar, the others three accused arrested for murder are Philips, a gym trainer by profession, Umar, a tile worker; and Irfan, a tailor.
The BJP, however, said Karnataka is witnessing "state sponsored terrorism under Siddaramaiah's rule'.
Yeddyurappa has also taken strong objection to Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy statement where he said Wasim stabbed Santosh's thigh with a screwdriver during a fight and probably did not intend to kill him. "How can the Home Minister say he did not intend to kill? Was the recent circular intended to protect such innocent people?" he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the Congress attacked the BJP for "politicising Santosh's death" at a time when the state gears up to vote for the new government.
According to NDTV, Congress working president in Karnataka, Dinesh Gundu Rao, said, "It is unfortunate that Santosh was killed. The police have made arrests. But the BJP is trying to politicise the incident. It is neither communal nor political. It shows how desperate the BJP is and what extent they can go to."
He added that the accused person is the son of a ward Congress president but it doesn't make any difference. "Action will be taken against the guilty," he added.