A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), acting on leads from various sources, managed to hole out and arrest Thufail M H, Kodagu District Head of Popular Front of India Service Team (Hit Team) and former PFI District Secretary of Kodagu District, from his hideout in Amaruthahalli area of Bengaluru City on Saturday.
Thufail was named as wanted in the murder of Praveen Nettaru, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha Member, in Bellare village of Sullia Taluk in Dakshina Kannada District.
In January 2023, the NIA filed a charge sheet against 20 accused, including six absconding accused, before NIA Special Court, Bengaluru.
Reacting to his arrest, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government had prior information based on which the team acted. “We already had information regarding this and were keeping track,” said Bommai.
Here’s all you need to know about Thufail:
- Thufail M H had played a significant role in PFI’s larger conspiracy to murder leaders of a particular community.
- He also provided shelter and safe harbor to the three assailants, who had recced and then killed Nettaru, at Ashiyana residency of Koppa Village, Mysuru District .
- Earlier, Thufail was accused in FIR number 79/2016 of Kushalnagar Rural
- Thufail had a Rs 5 lakh bounty on his head and was said to be living on the first floor of a rented house from the past five-six months
THE CASE
Nettaru, 32, was hacked to death in front of his broiler shop in Bellare by three bike-borne miscreants on July 26, 2022. The case was initially registered at Bellare Police Station of Dakshina Kannada District and re-registered by NIA on August 4, 2022.
The killing led to tension at several places in Dakshina Kannada district with instances of stone-pelting and police lathi-charge being reported.
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