One more arrested in Nettaru murder case

Bengaluru, March 5

The NIA has arrested another accused, carrying a reward of Rs five lakh, from Dasarahalli in Bengaluru in connection with the BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Kumar Nettaru murder case.

The accused identitifed as Tufail was arrested late Saturday night.

A team of more than 10 NIA officers raided a house where he was staying under the guise of a plumber. When the officers tried to take Tufail into custody, he attacked them with a sharp-edged weapon with which he was chopping meat. However, the officers overpowered and arrested him.

The accused was staying in the house of one Nanjundappa for past five to six months on rent during which he remained alone and did not speak to people.

Nettaru, who was actively involved in campagining against hijab and "halal cut", was hacked to death by bike-borne miscreants on July 26 in Bellare town of Dakshina Kannada district.

The NIA had submitted a 1,500 page chargesheet regarding the case to the special court. The chargesheet contains the list and statements of 240 witnesses and 20 accused are named in the case.

The state police and NIA have arrested 14 persons in connection with the incident. The probe showed that Nettaru was hacked to death to avenge the murder of a local Muslim youth, who was killed in a road rage case. The murder of Praveen led to the killing of another Muslim youth.

Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) had announced the ticket for Shafi Bellare, an accused in the muder case of Nettaru, to contest assembly elections from Puttur assembly constituency.