Praveen Nettaru murder: Search still on for four absconding accused

Puttur: The four accused, on whom the National Investigation Agency (NIA) team probing the Praveen Nettaru murder case announced a bounty, still remain at large.

Mohammed Mustafa and Aboobacker Siddique alias Painter Siddique – both residents of Bellare, Ummer Farooq, a resident of Sullia, and Tufail M H of Madikeri are the four who are absconding. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is searching for their whereabouts throughout the country to no avail.

The NIA officers are now suspecting that Tufail MH has fled aboard and the other three accused are also planning to do so.

The officers are now visiting the cyber centers, where passport applications are usually filled in, to gather information about the other three accused. So far, there are no hints of them fleeing the country.

The investigating officers are also trying to find out if there is any connection between the Mangaluru blast accused and those absconding in the Praveen Nettaru case as the police believe that it is impossible for Shariq to plan and execute the bomb blast without the help of locals.

Meanwhile, a reward announced by NIA — Rs 5 lakh for credible clues about banned PFI members Mohammed Mustafa S and Tufail M H and Rs 2 lakh for information on Ummer Farooq and Aboobacker Siddique — still stands open. All four have been accused of providing shelter and financial assistance to the killers of Praveen.