The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another absconding accused in the 2022 murder of BJP activist Praveen Nettaru, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 25.
The accused, Ummar Farook M.R., was arrested in Kochi, Kerala, during a targeted operation based on specific intelligence inputs. He had been absconding since the investigation began. He was wanted under a Red Corner Notice (RCN) and a non-bailable warrant. The NIA had announced a ₹4 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest.
According to the NIA, Ummar Farook had been chargesheeted under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. Investigators believe that he attended a meeting in the office of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in Sullia before the murder.
The agency said its investigation found that the accused agreed to provide his motorcycle to a co-accused for reconnaissance and identification of targets in Bellare village ahead of the killing. He is also accused of participating in an attempt to eliminate a protected witness in the case.
The arrest follows the NIA’s operation in July 2026 in which two other absconding accused — Abdul Nasir P. alias Nasir and Naushad — were arrested from Kochi, Kerala, and Hosur, Tamil Nadu, respectively.
Praveen Nettaru, a BJP activist in Dakshina Kannada district, was murdered on July 26, 2022. The murder sparked widespread outrage across Karnataka. The NIA, which later took over the investigation, has maintained that the murder was part of a larger criminal conspiracy allegedly orchestrated by cadres of the banned PFI.
With Ummar Farook’s arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the case has risen to 25. The NIA said two accused are still absconding, and efforts are continuing to trace and arrest them to complete the investigation.
Published - August 06, 2026 11:54 am IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
