BJP activist's murder: K'taka Police nab killers, probe shows PFI link

Bengaluru, Aug 11

The Karnataka Police on Thursday said the three men, who were arrested for killing BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Kumar Nettare, have links with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

Additional DGP Alok Kumar said, "The accused have links with PFI and SDPI and it will be mentioned in the charge sheet."

The killers, who remained elusive for 15 days, have been identified as Siyabuddin Sullia (33), Riyaz Antadaka (27) and Bashir Elimale Subramanya (29). The police have earlier arrested seven persons for aiding and giving shelter to the killers. Siyabuddin supplied cocoa, Riyaz was a chicken supplier and Basheer worked in a hotel.

The police had nabbed the killers in the Talappady of Karnataka-Kerala border. The killers took shelter in the Malliluddin mosque in Kasargod district of Kerala. From there, it is being probed about where the accused were hiding.

"The investigation will have to be conducted on the motive of the murder and the support system they had. The father of Shafeeq, one of the accused in the case, worked at the chicken shop run by Praveen Nettare," Alok Kumar stated.

Kumar further explained that the government had handed over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). NIA has also conducted a probe along with police. After nabbing the persons, who gave shelter to the killers, tracing the weapons and vehicles used for the crime, the case would be handed over to the NIA.

The police had formed six special teams to nab the killers who came on two bikes and hacked Nettare to death on July 26. The police teams raided the places where the killers had taken shelter and nabbed them.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Police have begun the process of attaching the property of the accused in the murder case. ADGP Alok Kumar had stated that the process of attaching properties of the accused persons was on.

The police along with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) will attach properties of the accused persons, he said.

On July 26, bike-borne miscreants attacked BJP activist Praveen Nettare in Bellare town of Dakshina Kannada district in front of his chicken shop and hacked him to death.

Following the murder of Praveen, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had cancelled celebration of his one-year term in office. He visited Praveen Nettare's family and issued a cheque of Rs 25 lakh as compensation from the government. The party also gave Rs 25 lakh separately.

The incident triggered a chain of protests from the BJP workers all over Karnataka. The agitators laid siege to state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra's residence causing severe embarrassment to the ruling establishment. The probe had revealed that Parveen Nettare was targeted for launching a campaign against halal meat.