Praveen Nettaru murder case: NIA arrests most wanted accused Umar Farooq after four years

Praveen Nettaru murder case: NIA arrests most wanted accused Umar Farooq after four years

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug. 6, 2026: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Umar Farooq M.R., one of its most wanted accused in the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru, after nearly four years on the run. Farooq was apprehended in Kochi, Kerala, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 25.

According to the NIA, Umar Farooq was wanted under a Red Corner Notice and a non-bailable warrant. The agency had also announced a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh for information leading to his arrest.

Investigators alleged that Farooq attended the conspiracy meeting held at the office of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) before the murder. He is also accused of arranging the motorcycle used by the assailants to carry out the attack. The NIA further alleged that he helped the prime accused escape after the murder and was involved in an attempt to eliminate a key witness in the case.

Following the killing, Farooq allegedly fled to Kochi and remained in hiding for nearly four years with the assistance of senior members of the banned PFI, the agency said.

The breakthrough came after the NIA arrested two other accused, Naushad and Naseer, on July 11. Information gathered during their interrogation led investigators to Farooq’s hideout in Kochi, where he was arrested during a coordinated operation.

The NIA said that two more accused remain absconding, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest them.

Praveen Nettaru Murder Case

Praveen Nettaru (32), a BJP Yuva Morcha worker from Bellare village in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, was murdered on the night of July 26, 2022, while returning home after closing his poultry shop. He was allegedly attacked with deadly weapons by assailants who arrived on a motorcycle.

The murder triggered widespread outrage across Karnataka, following which the Union Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the investigation to the NIA in August 2022. Since then, the agency has arrested several accused and continues its search for the remaining absconding suspects.