In an incident that is being termed as a 'revenge killing' as a result of 'communal rivalry', a Bajrang Dal member was hacked to death in Mangalore for shutting down a slaughter house.

In an incident that is being termed as a 'revenge killing' as a result of 'communal rivalry', a member of Bajrang Dal was hacked to death in Mangalore for his role in shutting down a slaughter house in the area.

Police have arrested eight Muslim youth in connection with the murder, according to an Indian Express report.

The incident occurred on 9 October when Prashant Poojary, a flower-seller from Moodbidri and an active Bajrang Dal member was attacked outside his shop by by six unidentified assailants on motorcycles, according to a report by India Today.

He had reportedly been part of a campaign to shut down illegal slaughter houses and protested against cattle trafficking in the region.

Poojary reportedly revealed the identities of his attackers to his father Anand Poojary, who were all identified as Muslim youth from Dakshina Kannada district, according to Indian Express.

India Today had earlier reported that four people, including the prime accused, were arrested and the Police Commissioner S Murugan had identified them as Mohammad Haneef (36), Mohammed Ilyas (27), Ibrahim Liyaqat (26) and Abdul Rasheed (36).

On Tuesday, four more were arrested — Mohammed Sharif (42), Mustafa Kavoor (28), Mohammed Mustafa (25), and Kabeer (28), said the Indian Express report. Police also said that Hanif and Imtiaz used to work at the slaughter house that was shut down.

The arrests were made despite prime witness Vaman Poojary (68) allegedly committing suicide a week after the murder on 15 October. However, despite the setback, the police were able to catch the other accused in the case.