Days after a youth leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Praveen Nettaru, was killed in Karnataka, two more persons – Saddam (32) and Harris (42) – were arrested in connection with the murder on Tuesday, 2 August.
The suspected conspirators and assailants have been identified, and a search for them is underway, the police said.
Two other persons – Zakir and Shafique – were arrested in connection with the case on 28 July. Zakir has a criminal case against him and has links with the Popular Front of India (PFI), as per the police.
The murder case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday.
The Murder Case
BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru was murdered by bike-borne assailants in Karnataka's Dakshin Kannada on 26 July.
The 32-year-old had closed his poultry shop, Akshaya Poultry Farm, and was returning home when the attackers charged at him with a machete.
Police sources had claimed that the murder may have been perpetrated to avenge the killing of a Muslim youth who was allegedly attacked by saffron outfits last week.
Tensions had gripped Bellare after the murder as the police reportedly shut down all shops, establishments, and hotels in the area amid protests.
Several Hindutva organisations had launched demonstrations against the murder, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) calling for a bandh in Kadaba, Suliya, and Puttur to protest Nettaru's killing.
On 28 July, 23-year-old Mohammed Fazil, who was a resident of Mangalpete, was murdered by a group of masked assailants outside a clothing store.
The police is probing if there is a link between the two cases.
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