NIA implicates PFI in Praveen Nettaru case

BENGALURU, MANGALURU: Nailing the Popular Front of India (PFI) for their alleged involvement in the murder of Praveen Nettaru – the BJP Yuva Morcha leader, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday said PFI had not only “planned,” it had also “committed Nettaru’s murder as part of a larger conspiracy to strike terror amongst the members of a section of society”.

Earlier in the day, NIA conducted searches at 33 locations in Mysuru, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts in relation to the sensational murder case in which the state police have arrested 10 people, including three main accused — Shiyabuddin, Riyaz and Bashir. The weapon used in the murder is yet to be recovered.

Searches were also conducted at multiple locations in Sullia and Puttur taluks of Dakshina Kannada. Sources said more than a dozen NIA teams swooped down on the houses and businesses of several individuals, suspected to have direct or indirect role in Nettaru’s murder that took place on July 26 in Bellare of Sullia taluk. Local police accompanied the NIA teams, which began the raids early in the morning, which continued till the evening.

Nettaru was killed in front of his office at Bellare in Sullia taluk. The government had handed over the case to the NIA. The case was initially registered at Bellare police station, Dakshina Kannada district on July 27 and re-registered by NIA on August 4.The agency added that during the searches on the premises of accused and suspects, “digital devices, used ammunition, improvised arms, cash, incriminating documents, pamphlets and literature were seized,” it stated.

The Nettaru murder case had led to large-scale unrest in Dakshin Kannada. Days before his murder, on July 19, Masood (19) was killed by a group of assailants in Kalanja village close to Bellare. Two days after Nettaru’s murder, on July 28, Fazil (23) working in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, was attacked by a group of assailants outside a cloth store in Suratkal. The district police had arrested six accused for their alleged involvement in Fazil murder case, which the police stated, was executed to avenge Praveen’s assassination.