Praveen Nettaru murder case: NIA arrests 21st accused
New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI): The NIA has arrested an accused in connection with the murder of Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru allegedly by members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in 2022, officials said Tuesday.
Ateeq Ahmed became the 21st accused to be arrested in the case, they said.
It is alleged that Ahmed had "harboured and assisted" Mustafa Paichar, the main conspirator of the killing of Nettaru in Bellare village.
Mansoor Pasha and Riyaz HY allegedly harboured Paichar, and who had conspired, recced and identified Nettaru to be eliminated at a public place on July 27, 2022 with an intention to strike terror among the people, the NIA had said earlier.
"Mustafa had planned and executed the murder," the NIA said in a statement on Tuesday.
Taking over from Karnataka Police, the NIA had re-registered the case on August 4, 2022 under various provisions of UA(P) Act and IPC.
Mustafa had absconded after killing Nettaru with the help of Ateeq, who had facilitated his movement and ferried him to Chennai, the agency said.
"Ateeq had helped Mustafa evade law enforcement till the latter's arrest in May 2024," the statement said.
The agency is continuing with its investigation to trace the remaining six accused, against whom rewards have been announced, it said.
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Eight fruit vendors killed, ten injured as truck falls into 50-metre deep valley in Yellapura
Yellapura (PTI): At least eight persons were killed and 10 others sustained injuries when the truck in which they were travelling fell into a 50-metre-deep valley near here in the wee hours of Wednesday, a police officer said.
The victims, all fruit vendors, started from Savanur and were heading towards the Yellapura fair to sell fruits. They were traveling on the Savanur - Hubballi road when the accident occurred in a forested section, the Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police M Narayana said.
"Around 5:30 am, the truck driver in a bid to give side to another vehicle went to the extreme left and fell into an about 50 metre deep valley," Narayana told PTI.
He added that there was no protection wall in the road in the valley.
"Eight persons were killed on the spot and two got critical injuries. The injured have been shifted to the KIMS Hospital in Hubballi," the officer said.
