Dakshin Kannada: Karnataka BJP chief, minister heckled over youth worker’s murder

Tensions prevailed in the Dakshin Kannada district of Karnataka with protesters heckling state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and Energy minister V Sunil Kumar on Wednesday over the murder of a BJP youth wing worker in the district on Tuesday night. The leaders had arrived to pay their last respects to Praveen Nettaru, a member of the BJP Yuva Morcha, who was hacked to death by two bike-borne attackers in Bellare village of the district last nigh

According to a video shared by The Indian Express, the leaders were booed by the crowd, and slogans were raised against the BJP government over the killing.

Several workers of the BJP youth wing also tendered their resignations as a mark of protest against the ruling government in the state over the killing last night. The police had to resort to lathi-charge to dispel protesters during the last rites procession of the departed youth. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that 10 people have been taken into custody in connection with the incident. The minister, who met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai earlier in the day, said he has taken stock of the incident and has held a meeting with the Director General of Police in this regard as well.

He further informed that teams are in Kerala for further probe and the government was ready to hand over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency if required. 

Praveen was killed in Bellare on Tuesday night by two bike-borne assailants, a police official said, adding that the bike had a Kerala registration number. Praveen, who owns a poultry shop, had just shut shop when he saw the two men approaching. He ran to a nearby shop to save himself but was hacked with a machete as the assailants fled the scene. Praveen was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 
The police had ordered shops, hotels and other establishments shut in view of the tensions prevailing in the area. The police suspect that Praveen’s killing could be an act of revenge for the killing of a Muslim man in the Dakshin Kannada district recently.