Suhas Shetty had been accused of the murder of Mohammad Fazil, a resident of Mangalwarpete in Katipalla, in front of a shop in the Suratkal area of Mangaluru in 2022. He was also accused of the murder of a 20-year-old, Keerthi, at Devearagudda in Bajpe in 2020 and stabbing two others.
Published Oct 30, 2025 | 6:23 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 30, 2025 | 6:23 PM
Suhas Shetty. (X)
Synopsis: Suhas Shetty was hacked to death by seven people using swords and machetes near Kinnipadavu Cross in Mangaluru’s Bajpe area on 1 May 2025. The killing was carried out in full public view to instil fear and to spread terror.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge-sheeted 11 people arrested in the Suhas Shetty murder case.
The central agency filed the chargesheet on Wednesday, 29 October, before the NIA Special Court in Bengaluru. The 11 accused were arrested under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Arms Act, 1959.
Shetty was hacked to death by seven people using swords and machetes near Kinnipadavu Cross in Mangaluru’s Bajpe area on 1 May 2025. The killing was carried out in full public view to instil fear and to spread terror, NIA said in a statement.
NIA, which took over the case on the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, found a larger conspiracy behind the targeted killing.
The agency said it also found that Shetty’s activities were meticulously tracked over several months as part of the elaborate conspiracy, and on the fateful day, seven accused in two cars trailed their target’s Toyota Innova car. The accused caused a deliberate accident and blocked all escape routes for Shetty and his friends.
Shetty was forced to flee on foot and was chased and hacked to death.
NIA said the terror plot was hatched by accused Abdul Safwan Safwan alias Kalavaru Safwan alias Chopu Safwan, an ex-member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), along with Niyaz alias Niya, Mohammed Musamir alias Mahamed Musameer alias Mohammad alias Muzammil, Noushad alias Vamanjoor Noushad alias Chotte Noushad alias Chotu, another ex-PFI member and Adil Maharoof.
Accused Maharoof alias Adil had provided the funds, which were used to recruit others on the promise of payment or by exploiting any previous existing enmity with the victim.
All five mentioned above, along with Kalandar Shafi alias Mande Shafi, M Nagaraja alias Naga alias Appu, Ranjith, Mahammed Rizwan alias Rijju, Azaruddin alias Azar alias Ajju, and Abdul Khader alias Noufal, are named in the chargesheet. Investigation against another arrested accused, Abdul Razak, is underway, NIA said.
Shetty was accused of the murder of Mohammad Fazil, a resident of Mangalwarpete in Katipalla, in front of a shop in the Suratkal area of Mangaluru in 2022. He was also accused of the murder of a 20-year-old, Keerthi, at Devearagudda in Bajpe in 2020 and stabbing two others.
In May, a Mangaluru police press release said that Safwan had been assaulted in 2023 by Suhas Shetty’s associates—Prashath, Ganesh, Yajnesh, Dhanraj, and Puneeth. A case of grievous assault was then registered at the Surathkal Police Station.
In retaliation, and after receiving threats from Shetty and his associates, Safwan conspired with others to murder Shetty. It was also established that Maharoof, the brother of the slain Fazil, provided financial support to carry out the murder.
