In a breakthrough, police arrested the owner of a car that was hired by assailants in the murder of a 23-year-old at Mangalapete in Surathkal.
Mahammed Fazil was hacked to death outside a shop on July 28, two days after BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru was murdered in Bellare.
ADGP (Law and order) Alok Kumar told DH that the arrested is Ajith Crasta. This is the first arrest in the case.
Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar said that after producing Crasta in the court, police will take his custody for further investigation.
“Based on the CCTV footage and the model and colour of the car, the police questioned several people before zeroing in on the vehicle used by the assailants,” he said.
The car owner gave details of those who took the car from him. “Based on his inputs, steps have been taken to arrest the culprits,” the commissioner said. One of the accused was in contact with Crasta for a long time and had hired the car earlier also.
The vehicle was seized from Kadekunja in Inna of Padubidri in Udupi district.
Over 100 people have so far been questioned in the murder of Fazil.
Nettaru murder
To a query on BJP worker Praveen Nettaru’s murder, the ADGP said they have got “vital clues” and the investigation is in progress.