Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested one of the most wanted accused in the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Nettaru, marking a major breakthrough in the high-profile terror investigation that has remained under scrutiny for nearly four years. Umar Farooq M.R., who had been absconding since the 2022 murder, was arrested in Kochi, Kerala, following an extensive intelligence-led operation.
Umar Farooq was among the NIA’s most wanted accused in the case. A Red Corner Notice and a non-bailable warrant had been issued against him, and the agency had announced a cash reward of ₹4 lakh for information leading to his arrest. With his arrest, the total number of accused apprehended by the NIA in the case has risen to 25.
According to the NIA, Umar Farooq played a significant role in the conspiracy behind the murder of Praveen Nettaru. Investigators alleged that he attended conspiracy meetings held at a Popular Front of India (PFI) office before the killing. He is also accused of providing a motorcycle to one of the assailants before the murder and later assisting the accused in destroying evidence and evading arrest.
The agency further alleged that Umar Farooq was involved in attempts to eliminate a witness linked to the investigation. Following the murder, he allegedly helped key accused escape and remained underground with logistical support from members of the now-banned PFI.
Investigators believe Umar Farooq had been hiding in Kochi for almost four years. According to the NIA, senior PFI functionaries arranged safe houses and ensured that he remained out of public view by frequently shifting him between undisclosed locations. The agency maintained continuous surveillance before finally zeroing in on his whereabouts.
The breakthrough reportedly came after the NIA arrested two other accused, Naushad and Naseer, on July 11. During interrogation, investigators are said to have obtained crucial information about an unidentified hideout in Kochi where Umar Farooq was believed to be staying. Based on these leads, NIA teams conducted a coordinated operation and arrested him without incident.
Officials said the investigation is still underway and efforts are continuing to trace the remaining absconding accused. According to the agency, two more suspects linked to the conspiracy are yet to be arrested, and search operations have been intensified across multiple locations.
The Praveen Nettaru murder case is one of the most sensitive political and terror-related investigations in Karnataka in recent years. Praveen Nettaru, a 32-year-old BJP Yuva Morcha worker from Bellare village in Dakshina Kannada district, was hacked to death by motorcycle-borne assailants on the night of July 26, 2022, while returning home after closing his poultry shop.
The brutal killing sparked widespread outrage across Karnataka, triggering protests by BJP workers and demands for stringent action against those responsible. In view of the seriousness of the crime and its alleged links to organised extremist networks, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the investigation to the NIA in August 2022.
The NIA’s charge sheets have alleged that leaders and members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), including its so-called “service team”, conspired to carry out the murder with the intention of creating fear and disturbing communal harmony. The agency has claimed that the conspiracy involved multiple individuals responsible for planning, logistics, sheltering the accused and facilitating their escape after the attack.
Over the course of the investigation, the NIA has filed multiple supplementary charge sheets against several accused. Investigators have also arrested persons accused of providing shelter, financial assistance and logistical support to those directly involved in the murder.
The arrest of Umar Farooq is being viewed as a significant milestone in the investigation, as he was among the key absconding accused allegedly involved in both the conspiracy and the subsequent efforts to help the killers evade law enforcement.
With two more accused still at large, the NIA has said that its investigation remains active and efforts will continue until all those allegedly involved in the conspiracy are brought before the law.
