BJP using NIA to frame us: PFI

MANGALURU: The Popular Front of India on Wednesday charged the BJP with 'conspiring' against it and using the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to implicate it in the case relating to the murder of a BJYM leader.

The PFI outburst comes after the NIA conducted searches across 33 places in Karnataka covering Mysuru, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts on Tuesday in connection with the murder of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettar.

Nettar was hacked to death on July 26 when he was returning home after closing his poultry shop in Dakshina Kannada district.

"You have seen the developments taking place since Tuesday. We can see the system in which the BJP is misusing the NIA in Nettar's murder case to target the Muslims on the pretext of action against the leaders and members of the Popular Front of India," PFI state secretary A K Ashraf said in a press conference.

The PFI strongly condemns the BJP government's conspiracy against the outfit, he said.

Ashraf said apart from the serial murders in Dakshina Kannada district, such incidents have been reported in other parts of the State, including the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga.

He demanded that in incidents where Muslims were killed, the cases should be given to the NIA for a thorough probe.