In a disturbing incident reported from Uttara Kannada district, an 18-year-old youth was taken into police custody on Wednesday for allegedly setting fire to a Hindu man’s house in Devarahakkala village of Kumta taluk.
According to police, the incident occurred while the Hindu victim’s family was away attending an annual temple fair in Kumta. The accused, identified as Faisan Jaffer Shaikh, is alleged to have deliberately taken advantage of the house being locked and unattended before setting it on fire.
As per Kannadavani News reports, the house belongs to Dinakar, a photo frame maker by profession. Police said the accused allegedly entered the premises and ignited the fire in the absence of the family, indicating clear intent and premeditation.
Alert neighbors noticed the flames in time and rushed to the spot, managing to prevent the fire from spreading further and averting a major tragedy. However, the incident caused damage to property and triggered fear and tension among residents of the village.
Soon after receiving information, the Kumta police rushed to the spot and detained the accused Islamist. Senior police officials, including the Superintendent of Police and Additional Superintendent of Police of Uttara Kannada district, visited the village, inspected the site, and held discussions with local residents to assess the situation.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the accused Islamist’s house is located close to the victim’s residence, and a dispute related to land or property may have existed between the two parties. Police are probing whether this dispute was the motive behind the arson.
While no injuries were reported, the incident has led to a tense atmosphere in Devarahakkala village. Police have increased security in the area and assured strict legal action against those found guilty. Further investigation is underway.
Incidents of targeted violence against Hindu households in Karnataka are increasing at an alarming rate, exposing serious failures in maintaining law and order under the present Congress-led state government. Such acts, when not met with swift and uncompromising action, only embolden anti-social and Islamic extremist elements, further deepening communal fault lines in the state. There is a growing and widespread public perception that the Siddaramaiah-led government is allegedly turning a blind eye to crimes involving Islamist offenders and illegal migrants, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among law-abiding Hindu citizens.
The question being asked on the ground is clear: where is the Karnataka government, and why is it silent? The continued inaction gives the impression that political appeasement has taken precedence over justice. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appears least concerned about the safety and dignity of Hindu families, whose homes and lives are increasingly coming under attack.
The state administration must wake up, act decisively, and ensure strict punishment for the guilty without bias or delay. Law and order cannot be sacrificed at the altar of vote-bank politics.
