Udupi:Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) regional secretary Gopal said that VHP and Bajrang Dal have jointly called a statewide protest from December 13 to 14 condemning the ongoing violence against Hindus in Honnavar and Kumta.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, the VHP leader said that the brutal murder of Hindu activist Paresh Mesta is being portrayed as a natural death. It is a murder and unnatural death, he said and added that the state government should recommend an NIA probe into his death.

He said the BJP leaders and parliamentarians would recommend the central government to intervene and hand over the case to NIA. He said that areas including Bhatkal and Honnavar have been the hub of Jihadis and demanded that Azad Annigeri should be immediately arrested as he has been involved in various illegal activities.

He is also directly responsible for Mesta’s death. He also demanded that police personnel who failed to initiate action should be suspended. He strongly ridiculed the post-mortem clarifications issued by the forensic expert as politically motivated.

He alleged that Mesta’s death is a conspiracy. The chief minister who is an anti-Hindu knew about the murder of Mesta but still dared to perform the stone laying foundation ceremonies. There is a need for an in-depth inquiry into the death, he demanded.