Karnataka is on high alert following the murder of 32-year-old BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Nettaru. Police have increased vigil to prevent any untoward incident across Karnataka, said Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Kumar in Mangaluru on July 28
“Eleven platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) are stationed in sensitive places across Dakshina Kannada district, and six KSRP platoons are in Mangaluru city. All range Inspector General of Police, district police chiefs and police commissioners have been told to stay put in the headquarters. We are taking all precautions to prevent any untoward incidents across Karnataka,” Mr. Kumar told The Hindu.
Police believe it was a planned murder
On the ongoing investigation into the murder of Praveen Nettaru in Bellare town on July 26, he said, “It was a planned crime. When a crime is planned, the assailants ensure that they do not leave any trace that leads to them. This makes it difficult to trace the assailants. But all efforts are being made to crack the case.”
Police are also investigating a possible link to the murder of 18-year-old Masood on July 21 near Bellare. That killing was the fallout of an altercation between Masood and an eight-member group during which Masood was injured. Later, he succumbed to injuries.
“Within 24 hours, we arrested all the eight persons who were allegedly involved. All precautions were taken to prevent revenge killing,” he said.
“Those behind the murder of Praveen will be dealt with in a firm way,” he said.
Praveen’s Facebook posts being examined
Apart from investigating involvement of fundamentalist forces from Kerala, Mr. Kumar said the police is also looking at the Facebook post of Praveen following the June 28 murder of Kanhaiyalal, a tailor in Udaipur.
“We are looking at various angles. A team is looking at human intelligence, while another team is giving technical inputs. The State police is working as team to crack the case,” he said.
Apart from personnel from Dakshina Kannada and Mangaluru City police, Hassan Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar and police personnel from Chikkamagaluru, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts have joined the investigation.
CM supervising the investigation into Praveen’s murder
“Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is personally supervising the investigation. Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Director General & Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood are closely monitoring the work. There is high expectation from us, and we are doing our best to trace the culprits,” Mr. Kumar said.
Mr. Kumar arrived in Bellare on July 27 evening. He met Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Rishikesh Sonawane, Mangaluru Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar and other police officers on July 27-28.
