Karnataka govt to shift BJP activist murder case to NIA

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government will hand over the BJP activist Praveen Kumar Nettare murder case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced on Friday.

After chairing a high-level meeting with top police officers in Bengaluru, the chief minister said: "The murder case has connection with the neighbouring Kerala. Since it is an inter-state matter, the case is being handed over to the NIA. I have discussed the case with the DGP. There is suspicion of it being an organised crime with involvement of people from the other states," he said.

"After gathering inputs, we will write a letter to the Kerala government. CCTV cameras will be installed at the border areas of Karnataka and Kerala in the coastal region. The platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) would be sent to various towns of Dakshina Kannada district to maintain peace," he said.

Directions have been issued to heighten vigilance in sensitive regions. Special teams have been formed to crack the case of Mohammed Fazil Mangalpet who was hacked to death on Thursday night in Surathkal town. Investigation into the is heading in the right direction, he said.

Soon, a meeting of religious leaders of the Dakshina Kannada district will be convened to ensure peace and harmony, he added.