Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru/Beltangady
Bengaluru/Beltangady, July 12: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two more accused in the high-profile murder of Praveen Nettaru, a case that sent shockwaves across Dakshina Kannada district in 2022. The agency has now tracked down and apprehended two men who had allegedly remained on the run for nearly four years.
The arrested accused have been identified as Naushad (32), a resident of Poyyagudde in Padangady village of Beltangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, and Abdul Nasir (41), a resident of Somwarpet in Kodagu district. According to reports, the duo were arrested by NIA officials in Kerala and Tamil Nadu before being brought to Bengaluru for further investigation.
Praveen Nettaru, a member of a Hindu organisation who also owned a poultry shop, was brutally hacked to death with lethal weapons at Bellare in Sullia taluk on 26 July 2022. The killing triggered widespread outrage, following which the then BJP-led Karnataka government handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency.
The NIA has filed a chargesheet against 28 accused in connection with the case. With the latest arrests, the number of accused taken into custody has risen to 23, while five suspects continue to evade arrest.
Investigators have alleged that Naushad played a key role in helping the assailants escape after the murder by acting as their driver. The agency is expected to question both accused as part of its continuing probe.
The NIA had earlier issued a public notice announcing a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of the absconding accused. The latest breakthrough marks another significant step in the agency's ongoing efforts to trace and apprehend the remaining fugitives.
The investigation is continuing, and the allegations against the accused will be determined through the judicial process.