Bengaluru: Nearly four years after the sensational murder of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru in Dakshina Kannada, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has achieved a breakthrough by arresting two absconding accused who had remained elusive despite an extensive nationwide manhunt. The arrests are being seen as a significant milestone in one of Karnataka’s most high-profile terror investigations.
The arrested accused have been identified as Naushad (32), a resident of Poyyegudde in Padangady village of Belthangady taluk, and Abdul Nasir (41), a resident of Convent Road in Chowdlu, Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district. Naushad was apprehended near Bengaluru, while Abdul Nasir was arrested during a special operation in Kochi, Kerala.
According to NIA officials, both accused played a crucial role in the conspiracy by arranging safe hideouts for the main assailants in Kodagu, Mysuru and Erode in Tamil Nadu after the murder. They were included among the 27 accused named in the case and had been absconding ever since the investigation began.
The NIA had already arrested 21 accused over the course of the investigation. With six accused remaining at large, the agency had announced a reward of ₹2 lakh each for information leading to their arrest. The latest arrests are the result of sustained intelligence gathering, technical surveillance and months of field operations carried out across Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Investigators said Abdul Nasir had been living an inconspicuous life before the murder, working as a trusted sales assistant at an automobile shop near the Somwarpet market. His alleged role in the conspiracy came to light only after the NIA interrogated other arrested accused. Soon after the murder attracted statewide attention, he disappeared and managed to evade arrest for several years.
The NIA had filed a supplementary chargesheet in April 2025 against four absconding accused, including Naushad and Abdul Nasir. Despite reports suggesting that Abdul Nasir had escaped to a Gulf country, investigators continued tracking his movements through intelligence inputs before finally locating and arresting him.
The agency has now brought both accused to Bengaluru for detailed interrogation. Officials believe their questioning could provide fresh leads regarding the remaining absconding accused, the conspiracy behind the murder and the support network that helped the accused evade arrest for years.
Praveen Nettaru, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader from Bellare in Sullia Taluk, was hacked to death by a group of armed assailants on July 26, 2022, while he was closing his poultry shop for the day. The murder shocked Karnataka and triggered widespread protests across the country.
According to the NIA’s chargesheet, the murder was part of a targeted killing allegedly carried out by members associated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) as part of a conspiracy to eliminate Hindu activists and create communal tension.
The incident occurred just days after the murder of Mohammed Masood, a 19-year-old youth from nearby Kalinja village. Following Masood’s killing, the region had witnessed heightened tension, with shops closing early due to fears of violence. It was during this period that Praveen was attacked by a group of assailants armed with deadly weapons while pulling down the shutters of his poultry shop.
Praveen, aged 32, was the youngest among four siblings and had taken responsibility for supporting his family following the death of his father. After working as a cab driver and in various other jobs, he started a poultry business in Bellare. His wife, Nutana, also assisted him in running the shop. The couple had married only three years before the murder and were reportedly planning to build a house in Nettaru.
Though actively involved in BJP Yuva Morcha and Sangh Parivar activities, Praveen was known to maintain cordial relations with people from all communities in the locality. His killing sparked outrage within the BJP, with angry party workers even protesting against senior leaders who visited his residence. The then BJP government subsequently handed over the investigation to the NIA in view of the suspected involvement of PFI operatives and the interstate nature of the conspiracy.
Following Praveen’s death, the Karnataka government provided employment to his widow in the Chief Minister’s Office on a daily-wage basis.
With the arrest of Naushad and Abdul Nasir, the NIA has significantly narrowed the hunt for the remaining absconding accused. Officials said efforts are continuing to trace the others involved in the conspiracy and bring the long-running investigation to its logical conclusion.
