Mangaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has successfully apprehended Abdul Rehman, the prime suspect in the murder of Hindu activist Praveen Nettaru, which occurred on July 26, 2022. Rehman was taken into custody upon his arrival at Kannur International Airport from Qatar, where he had been hiding for nearly two years.
According to sources, Abdul Rehman is accused of harboring the attackers involved in Nettaru’s brutal killing. This was allegedly done under the instructions of Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders. The NIA had earlier declared a reward of ₹4 lakh for any credible information leading to his arrest.
On the night of the incident, Nettaru was viciously attacked and killed with sharp weapons near his shop in Bellare, Dakshina Kannada, by bike-borne assailants. Following the murder, Abdul Rehman fled the country and was tracked down after a long search.
The NIA has filed a chargesheet against 28 individuals, including four absconding suspects, one of whom was Rehman. As per the report, another accused, Atiq, had received help from the prime accused Mustafa Paichar to escape, and later found refuge in Chennai alongside Kalandar, who is now deceased.
Investigations further reveal that Rehman facilitated the escape of Atiq and Kalandar abroad, and arranged shelter for an individual named Riyaz. Authorities have confirmed that the probe is still in progress to unravel the full network involved.