Amid public outrage over the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) youth wing leader, Karnataka minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan on Friday said the state government is ready for “encounter” killings of criminals and the same has been communicated to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. He added that no mercy will be shown towards the perpetrators of such incidents.
“We are ready for the encounter (killings). We have already communicated to our Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the state government,” Narayan told reporters when asked to comment on the BJYM district-level office-bearer Praveen Nettar’s murder in his village Nettaru in Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday when he was heading home after closing his shop.
Narayan, who holds the higher education, skill development, and IT-BT portfolio, said, “Some instigators are testing our patience. Hence, our government and the Chief Minister have given a clear message. In the coming days, we will make arrangements that the criminals should tremble to even think or dream of committing such murders. The time has come for the encounter (killings). Our government will take stringent action. We will not give any chance for such activities by forming special squads. We will initiate measures to save innocent people.”
On Thursday, Bommai said, if the situation demands, the “Yogi model” government in Uttar Pradesh will be adopted in Karnataka too to deal with anti-national and communal elements trying to create unrest.
Some assailants hacked Nettar to death leading to tension in the district. Police have arrested three persons in connection with the case. Of these, two have been identified as Mohammed Zakir and Shafiq. Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Bommai said that the state government has decided to hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
“We have decided to hand over the case to the NIA since it is an inter-state issue (Karnataka-Kerala),” Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru. He added that Nettar’s murder was a planned and organised crime.
Two days after Nettar’s death, another youth Mohammed Fazil was hacked to death on Thursday evening by unknown assailants in the same Dakshina Kannada district. Police said probe into the matter is underway.
(with inputs from PTI)
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