Police personnel stand guard while former Bajrang Dal member Suhas Shetty’s mortal remains are taken to his native place, in Mangaluru, Karnataka on May 2, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

1. Suhas Shetty murder: Dakshina Kannada on the edge as VHP calls for bandh, police impose prohibitory orders

Following the murder of 30-year-old murder-accused and former Bajrang Dal activist Suhas Shetty on May 1 night, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) gave a call for bandh in Dakshina Kannada district on May 2. Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan and the Mangaluru Police imposed prohibitory orders from 6 a.m. on May 2 to 6 a.m. on May 5.

Following the bandh call, all city buses were off the road. There were reports of stoning of two buses near Pumpwell Junction and a bus in Mulky. While most shops and business establishments remained closed, Hindu activists were also seen forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters. Autorickshaws were also off the road.

Suhas Shetty (30), a former member of Bajrang Dal Go Raksha Division, was hacked to death by a group of six persons in front of a row of shops in Kinnipadavu, near Bajpe. Shetty was the main accused in the murder of Mohammed Fazil in Surathkal on July 28, 2022. Fazil’s murder was two days after murder of BJP leader Praveen Nettaru in Sullia.

Meanwhile, Hiriyadka police arrested Sandesh, 31, and Sushant, 32, for an alleged attempt on the life of an autorickshaw driver, Aboobacker, at Athrady near Manipal, in Udupi district. In a video statement, SP K. Arun said the arrested persons told the police that the attempt on the driver’s life was to “seek revenge” for the murder of Suhas Shetty.

2. Karnataka class 10 SSLC exam results announced, 22 students score 625/625 marks

Results of the SSLC Class 10 examination-1 in Karnataka were announced on May 2, 2025. Twenty-two students scored 625/625 marks, to emerge as toppers in the State. Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa addressed mediapersons in Bengaluru after announcement of the results.

The performance has improved this year by 9% in the examination-1. The overall pass percentage this year, including repeaters and private candidates, is 62.34 as against 53% last year. As many as 22 students secured 625 marks out of 625. This year, a total of 8,42,173 students appeared for the exams, and, of that, 5,24,984 managed to clear the exams.

3. Karnataka HC dismisses C.T. Ravi’s petition against FIR filed by Laxmi Hebbalkar for alleged derogatory remarks

The High Court of Karnataka refused to quash criminal proceedings against C.T. Ravi, BJP MLC, on the allegation of making derogatory remarks against Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the Legislative Council in Belagavi in December 2024. Justice M. Nagaprasanna delivered the verdict while dismissing the petition filed by Mr. Ravi.

“The alleged word spoken, if spoken, or the alleged gesture made, if made, against woman, the complainant, certainly outrageous her modesty; and above all, can have no nexus to the functioning of the Legislative Council, or no relation to the transaction of business of the House,” the court observed on May 2.

4. Site allottees in Bengaluru jolted by steep property tax hike in some BDA layouts

Site allottees of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) were shocked to find that property tax for 2025-26 had seen a steep hike in the range of 9% and 50%, which they realised only when they went to the BDA website to pay their taxes recently. While site allottees of other BDA layouts also reported marginal hikes, it appears to be steeper in NPKL. 

A senior BDA official said that the Authority calculates property tax based on guidance value and the property tax would have increased if the guidance value in the area has seen a significant hike. The guidance value of properties in Bengaluru was revised on October 1, 2023, but property tax saw no change in 2024-25 due to Lok Sabha elections. It had now been done this financial year, sources said.