Paveen Nettaru murder case: NIA arrests key accused at Delhi airport

Sullia: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused in the murder case of BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru (30) that took place on July 26, 2022, in Bellare, Sullia, Dakshina Kannada district. The accused, who had been hiding abroad, was apprehended at the Delhi airport.

The arrested person has been identified as Mohammad Sharif (55) from Kodaje, Bantwal. He had been evading arrest, and the NIA had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his capture. Investigations reportedly revealed that Sharif was actively involved in the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) organization.

On the night of July 26, 2022, Praveen Nettaru, who ran Akshay Fresh Chicken Farm in Bellare, was preparing to leave his shop around 8:30 PM when a group of assailants ambushed him and murdered him. The attackers had been lying in wait, and the crime was carried out swiftly.

So far, charges have been filed against 26 individuals, and 20 have been arrested. The NIA is still searching for 6 other accused individuals.

Initially, Shafique from Bellare and Zakir from Savanur were arrested in Kerala. Following that, the arrests of key suspects such as Shihabuddin from Sullia, Basheer Elile, and Riyaz Ankatadka increased the number of detainees to 10. In the last year, three more accused have been arrested: Tufail Madikeri in Bengaluru, Mustafa Paichar in Sakaleshpur, and Riyaz Yusuf Haralli at the Mumbai airport by NIA.

Accused at large

Despite multiple arrests, several accused individuals are still at large. Among them are Umar Farooq from Ullal, Abubakar Siddiq from Uppinangadi, Masood Agnadi from Uppinangadi, Abdul Nasir from Kodagu, Abdul Rehman from Kodagu, and Naushad from Belthangadi.