Bengaluru:

There is unrest in Shivamogga, Karnataka, after a 26-year-old member of the right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal was stabbed to death last night.

Following arson incidents, police have been deployed in large numbers, and the administration has limited public gatherings. Schools and colleges in the district will remain closed for the time being.

According to a police officer who spoke with NDTV, the killing of Harsha, a tailor, is unrelated to the ongoing controversy over students wearing hijab on campus.

In the Shivamogga district, a case has been filed at the Doddapete police station. 

We have discovered clues and are on the verge of apprehending the accused. This has nothing to do with the current hijab debate. Harsha and the rest of the gang had known each other for a while. "This appears to be the result of an old rivalry," the cop said.

According to police, Harsha was attacked by at least four people around 9 p.m. last night. He was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, but he died.

Unidentified individuals set fire to several vehicles in Shivamogga shortly after the attack.

Images from the city showed burned-out vehicles and a heavy police presence. Police marched through the neighbourhood, armed with riot control equipment, to prevent a riot over the attack.

This morning, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra met with Harsha's family members at the hospital. He can be seen in videos comforting his relatives.

According to the minister, 4-5 people may have been involved in the murder. "Police have discovered a clue, and the reason for the murder will be revealed following the investigation. We do not yet know if any organisation is responsible for this attack. Appropriate security measures have been put in place. There were some protests last night, but the situation is now under control."

Raghu Sakleshpur, state convenor of the Bajrang Dal, told NDTV about the attack on Harsha: "We are dissatisfied with the police action. He was an active member of our group. We'll make a decision on the next steps soon."