Book VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell in Fazil’s murder case, victim’s father urges Mangaluru police

A video of Pumpwell’s speech at Tumakuru claiming ‘Hindu youths’ killed Fazil to avenge Praveen Nettaru murder goes viral; Congress, JD(S), and SDPI too seek action against VHP leader

Ummer Farooq, father of Fazil who was killed, on Monday urged the Mangaluru police to book Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell as the plotter of the crime, after a video of Mr. Pumpwell’s speech at Tumakuru, claiming that “Hindu youths” killed Mr. Fazil to avenge the murder of Praveen Nettaru, went viral on Sunday.

The Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular), and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) also sought action against Mr. Pumpwell, who is the Pranth Saha Karyadarshi of the VHP, Mangaluru.

Mr. Farooq, a resident of Mangalapete in Surathakl, met City Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar at his office and submitted a memorandum demanding action against Mr. Pumpwell.

He said Mr. Fazil was hacked to death in front of people on July 28, 2022, in Surathkal. The Surathkal police had registered a case, arrested eight persons, and filed the chargesheet before the jurisdictional court.

Mr. Farooq had been urging the investigating officer to bring the person who hatched the murder to book. He happened to watch a YouTube video on Sunday, wherein Mr. Pumpwell was delivering a speech at the Shourya Yatre in Tumakuru. In the purported video, Mr. Pumpwell not only praised the efforts of the culprits in killing his son, but also claimed that the murder was carried out to avenge the killing of Mr. Nettaru, according to Mr. Farooq.

It is therefore clear that Mr. Pumpwell had prior information about Mr. Fazil’s murder and it is possible the crime was carried out at his instance, Mr. Farooq alleged.

The city police should arrest Mr. Pumpwell and conduct further investigation into his son’s murder, he demanded.