BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over investigation into the murder of Bajrang Dal worker Harsha Nagaraj, alias Harsha Hindu, in Shivamogga. According to informed sources, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed NIA to register and investigate the case.
Harsha (27) was killed on February 20 in Shivamogga in a “well-planned and orchestrated attack” by the accused, who had long wanted to net him, said sources. The accused and victim have previous police records for alleged involvement in communal cases.
Shivamogga police have arrested 10 accused so far -- Rihan Sharief (A1), Mohd Khasif (A2), Asifullah Khan (A3), Abdul Afaan (A4), Nihal (A5), Abdul Khader Jilan (A6), Abdul Roshan (A7), Faraz Pasha (A8), Syed Nadeem (A9) and Jaffar Sadiq (A10). The latter is Jilan’s father.
According to sources, A1 to A5 had attacked Harsha, while A6 drove the vehicle in which the attackers were travelling; A7 had helped get the weapons and A8 had tracked Harsha that fatal evening when he was brutally hacked to death near Kamath Petrol Pump on NT Road, in Shivamogga.
Agency to seek custody of suspects
On March 2, police had invoked sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, against the arrested. The invocation of the stringent Act was a precursor to handing over investigation to the NIA. The counter-terrorist agency will now seek custody of the arrested suspects to start investigations in the case. Meanwhile, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 22, requesting him to hand over the case to NIA.