Mangaluru: A few Sangh Parivar activists in the coastal Karnataka have openly justified the killing of thinker Prof. MM Kalburgi and warned that a similar fate was awaited for those who “mock” Hinduism.

Bhuvith Shetty, who claims to be the co-convener of Bajrang Dal in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kananda district, tweeted on Sunday morning from his twitter handle @GarudaPurana that Prof. KS Bhagwan, a well known critic, would be the next target.

He tweeted at 10:41 a.m.: “Then it was UR Anantamoorty and now its MM Kalburgi. Mock Hinduism and die a dogs death. And dear KS Bhagwan you are next”(sic). The same person had tweeted on July 15: “You should know that I myself chopped off one Muslim’s hand for smuggling cows in Kalladka” (sic)

Both the tweets were retweeted by many tiwtterati on Sunday triggering a heated debated on social media. Some right wing social media activists even defended his provocative comments. When the matter was brought to the notice of authorities, the man deleted his tweets. However, the screenshots of his tweets continued to go viral on social media.

Prof. Kalburugi, the former vice chancellor of Hampi University, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman at the former’s residence in Dharwad in the morning. Hindutva activists had warned him of dire consequences after he raised his voice against blind beliefs in Hindu society and criticised idol worship.

It is worth mentioning here that Sangh Parivar activists in Karnataka had organised celebrations and burst crackers on hearing the news of the death of Jnanpith award winner UR Ananthamoorthy one year ago.