Following the murder of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) member Praveen Nettaru, who was hacked to death on Tuesday, July 26 evening, by unidentified bike-borne assailants, prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 have been clamped across the Dakshina Kannada district police limits till Friday midnight, Deputy Commissioner K V Rajendra announced. Hindutva groups had earlier called for a bandh in Puttur, Sullia and Kadaba taluks. Amid the calls for bandh, Section 144 of the CrPC had been imposed in Puttur taluk in Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday and Thursday.
Praveen Nettaru, a BJP youth worker, was slashed with a knife by bike-borne assailants as he closed his shop on Tuesday evening in Bellare village in the district's Sullia taluk. The attack happened amid tension in Sullia, following the July 19 attack on a man named Masood in Kalanja village by a gang of eight people. Masood succumbed to his injuries two days later at a private hospital in Mangaluru. Hindutva groups have claimed that Praveen was killed as revenge for Masood's death.
Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Wednesday said the conspiracy behind the murder of BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettaru at Bellare in Sullia would be exposed and justice ensured in the case.
Addressing reporters in Mangaluru, Kateel said Praveen had always worked for the needy. The government has taken the issue seriously and would take steps to curtail such incidents, he said.
The reported Kerala links to the murder would also be investigated, he said.
Kateel, who had to face the wrath of Hindu activists on his way to the house of the deceased earlier in the day, said, “We will answer the party workers who are anguished by such incidents. Their anguish towards the leaders is understandable and I will bring this to the notice of the government.”
The party and the government would stand by the workers in this hour. Some youth leaders have given mass resignation in Chikkamagaluru out of anger and disappointment, he said, adding, he would convince them to reconsider the decision.
Earlier, Kateel's car was blocked by angry workers during his visit to meet the kin of the deceased leader.
The activists gathered around the car and some even tried to deflate the tyres of the vehicle and turn it upside down. They also got into a verbal duel with the police demanding justice.
Kateel, DK-in-charge Minister Sunil Kumar, Puttur MLA Sanjeeva Mattandoor and other BJP leaders visited the grieving family of Nettar and consoled them. Activists shouted slogans against the leaders to express their anguish.