MANGALURU: A trivial dispute regarding tying of buntings during a religious festival ended in blood bath on Wednesday with a member of Bajarang Dal being brutally hacked to death in broad daylight in Katipalla , about 16 kms from here. The police acted swiftly and arrested four persons in connection with the murder.The buntings issue had cropped up a few days back between both the majority and minority communities in that area and the issue simmered till it ended in murder. The deceased has been identified as Deepak Rao , resident of Katipalla Surathkal.Mangaluru City Police have arrested four assailants within a few hours while fleeing in a car near Mijar, Moodbidri, which is about 20 kms from the scene of the crime. The police gave a hot chase and also opened fire on the vehicle to stop them. Sources said that one of the assailants was injured during police chase.Following the brutal murder, the communally sensitive Surathkal area was tense and all the shops and commercial establishments voluntarily pulled down their shutters. A private city bus was damaged by miscreants in Soorinje, near Surathkal, the aftermath of the incident.Police said Deepak had worked with private company agency which was owned by a Muslim. Since most of the customers were from minority community, Deepak used frequent areas dominated by them for work. He was fluent in Beary language, spoken by Muslims in Mangaluru.On fateful day, when he was going to collect some documents from the office at Katipalla, a group of miscreants who arrived in a car, attacked him with lethal weapons. The attack was so brutal that his fingers were severed and he received serious injuries on his head. He died on the spot due to injuries. The body has been shifted to private hospital in Mangaluru for post-mortem.A large number people had gathered at hospital.Sources, said that few days ago there was clash between two religious communities over tying of buntings for a programme. Deepak, who is member of saffron party and association, was also one among them. A case has been registered at Surathkal police station.Meanwhile, BJP leaders have condemned the murder and demanded NIA probe.