Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 2 (ANI): The Karnataka Police on Tuesday arrested two more persons in connection with the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru.

The accused have been identified as Saddam and Harris. Police said in an official statement, "Cr No 63/2022 u/s Sections 16, 18 of UA(P) Act 1967 sections 302, 120B r/w 34 IPC, registered in Bellare Police Statement, two accused have been arrested on August 2.""Based on the investigation conducted so far, the Investigating team has identified the suspected conspirators and assailants in this case. The suspects are absconding and a search for them is going on," said Police officials.

Praveen Nettaru, a young BJP worker, was attacked with lethal weapons by unidentified people on a bike in Bellare in Dakshina Kannada in the late evening on July 19.

As the investigation into the case continues, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that the case will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) soon."The police have been given a free hand in the investigation of the Praveen Nettaru murder case. The investigation is in progress. The killers would be nabbed very soon," Chief Minister Bommai told media persons on Monday.

Earlier, the Karnataka Police on July 28, said that they have arrested Shafiq and Zakir in connection with the murder of Praveen Nettaru.

After taking police custody of these accused, an investigation was continued and based on further evidence Saddam and Haris have been arrested. The accused persons will be produced before a local court, the officials added.

Masood, an 18-year-old who lived near Bellare village, was hacked to death on July 19. Days later, in the same taluk, a few bike-borne men attacked BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru. The next day, on July 28, a man named Mohammed Fazil was killed in Surathkal.

The state police are also probing the possibility of a Kerala registration vehicle being used in the incident.

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra while making a statement on the incident said that the involvement of the extremist Popular Front of India (PFI), and its political arm Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is suspected. (ANI)