Karnataka: Brother of Accused in Praveen Nettaru Murder Case Arrested

Accused Shafique's brother, Safreed, is reportedly an SDPI activist, the police said.

A youth leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was allegedly murdered by three bike-borne assailants in Karnataka's Dakshin Kannada on Tuesday, 26 July.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Basavaraj Bommai)

The brother of one of the accused in the Praveen Nettaru murder case was arrested on Sunday, 11 September, in Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, following a complaint from a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker alleging death threats by the former, police said.

Dakshina Kannada police said Safreed, younger brother of Shafique who is an accused in the murder case, was arrested.

Prashant Rai, a local BJP worker from Bellare, had complained that Safreed had called him on phone during which the latter verbally abused him and also threatened to kill him.

Safreed is said to be an SDPI activist. His father Ibrahim used to work as a cleaner in the poultry farm of the deceased Nettaru, sources said.

Tension had prevailed for some time as more than 100 Hindu activists gathered near the police station on Saturday when Rai went to file his complaint.

BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death by miscreants near his poultry shop at Bellare on 26 July. All the accused in the case have been arrested.