CM Bommai says Praveen Nettar murder to probed by NIA; minister says time has come for 'encounters'

Bengaluru/Mangaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said the probe into the murder of a BJP youth wing leader will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), noting it was an "organised crime" with inter-state links.

As the move came in the backdrop of a backlash from section of the BJP cadres against its state top brass after the brutal killing of Praveen Nettar and demand for a NIA probe, a Karnataka minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said time has come to carry out "encounters" against perpetrators of such incidents and that the state government is ready for it.

Narayan's comments came a day after Bommai said, if the situation demands, the "Yogi model" government in Uttar Pradesh will be adopted in Karnataka too to deal with anti-national and communal elements trying to create unrest.

One more person was arrested on Friday in the killing of Nettar, a leader of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha(BJYM), on Tuesday night in front of his broiler shop in Dakshina Kannada district, taking to three the total number of arrests.

The communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district has been rocked by back-to-back murders of two people belonging to different communities in the last three days. Mohammad Fazil, a native of Surathkal, was murdered by four unknown assailants outside a shop on Thursday night, police said.

Bommai said that upon getting complete details of the Nettar murder case, the state government will write to the Union Home Ministry requesting for a probe by the NIA.

"We have decided to hand over the case to the NIA since it is an inter-state issue (Karnataka-Kerala)," Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru.

Nettar's killers had allegedly come on a Kerala registered two-wheeler. The Karnataka police has been in touch with its counterparts in neighbouring Kerala in the aftermath of the killing as both state DGPs spoke to each other.

The chief minister said Nettar's murder was a planned and organised crime.

Minister Narayan said no one should suffer the way the BJYM activist's family is suffering.

"Without giving any opportunity, merciless action will be taken. We are ready for encounters. We have already communicated to our Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the State government," Narayan, who holds the higher education, skill development, IT-BT portfolio, told reporters.

Narayan further said some instigators are testing our patience.

"Hence, our government and the chief minister have given a clear message. In the coming days, we will make arrangements that the criminals should tremble to even think or dream of committing such murders." "Time has come for encounters. Our government will take stringent action. We will not give any chance for such activities by forming special squads. We will initiate measures to save innocent people," the minister added.

Bommai said his government was not treating Nettar's murder case as an ordinary one and that it was going into the motive behind the crime.

"Wait for a few days, you will get to know various decisions taken by us,” he added.

After a meeting with DGP Praveen Sood and other senior police officials with an eye on beefing up security measures, Bommai said CCTV cameras would be installed at all border crossing points along the Kerala border. Checkposts would be set up and temporary police camps erected at sensitive spots in villages in the coastal region, he added.

Night patrolling would be intensified and an additional battalion of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) deployed in Dakshina Kannada district, Bommai further said.

Regarding the killing of a Muslim youth outside a textile shop in Surathkal, the chief minister said the investigation into the murder would be intensified and the culprits nabbed soon. Special teams should be constituted to crack the case, he said, adding peace meetings would be held with religious leaders at the district level.

A large number of people, meanwhile, took part in the funeral procession of Fazil in Mangalore.

Security has been beefed up in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in view of the tense situation, police said. Schools and colleges in Surathkal, Bajpe, Mulki and Pannambur police station limits remained closed on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district K V Rajendra ordered closing of all the shops and business establishments from Friday evening till the morning on August 1 based on intelligence reports.

"As the next three days are crucial according to several intelligence and police reports, we felt the need for stringent decision to maintain peace, law and order. We cannot call it a total curfew but it is only a measure to restrict public movement for non-essential activities," Rajendra said.

He added that essential services will remain open including hotels, kitchens and food delivery services while all the non-essential shops across the urban areas and panchayat limits will remain shut including cinema halls.

"Prohibitory orders have been imposed from Thursday night till July 30 morning," Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said. Mangaluru is the district headquarters of Dakshina Kannada district.

All liquor shops will remain shut and 19 checkposts have been set up including at the Karnataka-Kerala border, where all the vehicles will be searched, the official said. He added that no one will be allowed to move in the city beyond 10 pm.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah demanded the resignation of Bommai, saying law and order in the state has "completely collapsed". The killings in the state show "intelligence failure", he said.

"Intelligence comes under the CM while Law and Order falls under the Home Minister. So, they are responsible for it and should resign," he said.

Reacting to the charges, Bommai said 32 murders had taken place when he (Siddaramaiah) was the chief minister. "What did he do then? He only tries to bring politics in everything. His statement is of no importance. We know how to manage things," he replied.

He also dismissed the opposition’s demand for the Home Minister Araga Jnanendra's resignation, saying no one will quit.

ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar told reporters that the investigation into Fazil's murder is on and the suspects will soon be arrested.