Fazil was hacked to death near a shop in Surathkal. (Photo credit: TV9 Kannada)

Umar Faruq submitted a copy of the complaint to Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar on Monday.

Bengaluru: Days after controversial statements by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell in Mangaluru, the father of the Muslim youth, who was murdered in July 2022, has filed a complaint with the Mangaluru Police Commissioner seeking the right-wing outfit leader’s arrest and an inquiry against him.

Umar Faruq submitted a copy of the complaint to N Shashi Kumar on Monday. Faruq’s son Mohammed Fazil, 23, was murdered two days after the killing of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettar in Bellare village in Dakshina Kannada.

Speaking with reporters after filing the complaint, Faruq said that after Pumpwell’s speech, he understood who was behind his son’s murder.

“It has been over six months since Fazil was murdered. Since then I have been asking who was behind the murder. Now, after the speech, I understood who was responsible. Don’t say Hindus, say Hindutva. No Hindu will do such a thing. Those who murdered Fazil are cowards. It is not bravery when eight-nine people attack someone,” Faruq said.

“Hindu people are good but not those who follow Hindutva. He [Pumpwell] said that the attack showed bravery. No, it shows cowardice. My son was innocent and was not involved in anything. In my complaint, I have asked for an inquiry and arrest as Pumpwell is the one responsible.”

Faruq said that no one from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government met him or visited their house.

“What can I say about the government? If they had an ounce of humanity or empathy, they would’ve visited us after Fazil’s murder. I don’t want their money. But they could’ve at least enquired us how we were and what happened. Forget the MLAs and MPs, not even a member of the panchayat paid a visit,” he rued.

Pumpwell courted controversy on Sunday when he made the remarks during the Shourya Yatra of VHP in Mangaluru’s Ullal.

“The district of Dakshina Kannada wept when Praveen Nettar was murdered. The stability of Hindu society had collapsed. During such a time, some youths thought: ‘We have lost a great activist. We won’t let his sacrifice go in vain.’ Then, they went to Surathkal and attacked in public. You have seen the videos. It shows the bravery of the Hindu youth,” Pumpwell addressed the right-wing activists.

He had made similar statements on Saturday during the Shourya Yatra in Tumakuru.

Pumpwell spoke to News9 on Monday and said that he doesn’t justify anyone’s murder.

“I have not compared the deaths of Nettar and Fazil. The meaning of my statement was if Nettar was not murdered, the other deaths wouldn’t have occurred. I have not given a statement justifying Fazil’s murder. Our organisation doesn’t commit murders and we justify crimes,” Pumpwell said.

This story was originally published in news9live.com . Read the full story here