The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Abdul Rahaman, a key accused in the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru. Rahaman was arrested at Kannur International Airport after arriving from Qatar. The NIA described the arrest as a major breakthrough in its ongoing investigation into the killing of Praveen Nettaru, carried out by members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). The NIA had previously arrested Ateeq Ahmed, another key suspect in the case. Ateeq was found to have assisted Mustafa Paichar, the chief conspirator, who had planned and executed the murder as part of the PFI’s agenda. Following the attack, Mustafa went into hiding, with Ateeq facilitating his movements, including transporting him to Chennai. The NIA took over the case from the local police in August 2022 and discovered that the PFI had formed secret teams, known as ‘PFI Service Teams’, to carry out targeted killings. Praveen Nettaru was murdered in Bellare village of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka.
