New Delhi, June 8 -- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has handed over the investigation into the murder of former Bajrang Dal activist Suhas Shetty to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), marking a significant move amid rising concerns over possible larger conspiracies behind the incident.

Shetty, a prominent right-wing youth leader associated with the Bajrang Dal in Karnataka's coastal belt, was brutally murdered last month in Sullia town of Dakshina Kannada district. The activist, in his early 30s, was attacked by unidentified assailants while returning home late at night. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

The incident triggered widespread protests in the region, with local Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) uni...