Karnataka to hand over BJP activist murder case to NIA

Bengaluru, July 29: Karnataka government has announced handing over the murder case of late BJYM leader Praveen Nettaru to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

"It is a testament to our commitment that we are committed to uncovering the conspiracy behind our activist's sacrifice," BJP Karnataka's official Twitter handle wrote.

"We have decided to hand over the case to the NIA. It will be communicated to the Home Department. Since it is an inter-state issue (Karnataka-Kerala), we decided to hand over the matter to the NIA," Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai told reporters here.

Praveen Nettar, a Zilla BJP Yuva Morcha committee member was hacked to death in front of his broiler shop in Bellare by bike-borne miscreants on Tuesday night.

One more person was arrested on Friday in connection with the killing of Praveen Nettar in Dakshina Kannada district that happened earlier this week. Earlier, two persons had been apprehended by police in relation to the case.

"The heinous murder of our party worker Praveen Nettar from Sullia in Dakshina Kannada is condemnable. Those involved in the heinous act will be arrested soon and will be punished as per law," Bommai said in a tweet.

Shop owners in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district downed shutters on Wednesday in response to a bandh call given by the VHP to protest the killing of the BJP youth wing leader.

The incident has threatened to take a communal turn with suspicions being raised by right-wing outfits that the murder is in retaliation for another killing of a youth belonging to the minority community in the same locality recently.