The National Investigation Agency, probing the killing of BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru, carried out searches at 33 locations in three districts of Karnataka on Tuesday, an official said. 32-year-old Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death in front of his shop in Bellare by three bike-borne assailants on July 26.
In a statement, the NIA has named the Popular Front of India for plotting his murder. "Investigations have revealed that the accused persons, who are active members of Popular Front of India (PFI) had planned and committed the murder of Nettaru as part of a larger conspiracy to strike terror amongst the members of a section of society," the federal probe agency said.
The official said NIA conducted searches at 33 locations in Mysuru, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka in connection with the killing of the BJP youth leader. A case of murder was initially registered at Bellare Police Station in Dakshina Kannada on July 27 and re-registered by NIA on August 4.
During the searches conducted at the premises of the accused and suspects, digital devices, used ammunition, improvised arms, cash, incriminating documents, pamphlets and literature were seized, the official said.
Praveen was hacked to death on July 26 by bike-borne assailants in Dakshina Kannada’s Sullia taluk. The attack came close on the heels of the murder of an 18-year-old man named Masood in nearby Kalanja village, for rearing a calf. The day after Praveen’s murder, on July 28, a man named Fazil was hacked to death in Surathkal, in retaliation to the attack on Praveen. Police said that Fazil’s murder was pre-planned, and that the accused were surveilling him before killing him. Seven people have been arrested in connection with Fazil’s death so far.