Tension prevails in Dakshina Kannada after BJP worker's murder; Security tightened

Security beefed up across the communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district following the murder of the BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettaru in Bellare on Tuesday evening.

Updated on: Jul 29, 2022, 07:27:58 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan

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The murder of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru in Bellare late on Tuesday evening has sparked outrage in coastal Karnataka, with tensions running high at some areas and authorities forced to ban large gatherings in Puttur with heavy security deployed.

Caption: "Police deployed in Puttur after BJP youth wing worker Praveen Nettaru's murder in Bellare. (ANI Image)"

The killing is being talked about as an act of revenge for the recent murder of another youth belonging to a minority community, news agency PTI reported.

The incident has triggered widespread protests, prompting chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to appeal to everyone to stay peaceful and patient while cops scour the state for the accused.

"People are outraged when an innocent person is killed. I appeal to everyone to stay peaceful and patient. Instruction has been given to arrest the murderers as soon as possible," he said.

Some instances of stone-pelting and lathi charges by police were reported, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS, the ruling BJP's ideological mentor), demanding a bandh in Puttur, Kadaba and Sullia taluk. According to news agency PTI, stones were hurled at government buses, with one bus plying from Puttur to Mangaluru getting damaged at Bolwar.

READ | Working with Kerala police on BJP worker’s murder: Karnataka minister

Meanwhile, the BJPs Dakshina Kannada district in-charge, Sunil Kumar, who is also Kannada and culture minister , and RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat reached Praveen Nettaru's hometown as his body was brought to his home, with locals following the ambulance in a show of grief.

State home minister Araga Jnanendra told ANI there is a chance the accused may have fled to Kerala as the crime took place close to the inter-state border. Police of the two states are collaborating, he said. He also said police are inquiring about possible political motives.

Read: Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru hacked to death

Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death with lethal weapons by unidentified people on a bike in Dakshina Kannada.

With input from ANI, PTI

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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