BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said the probe into the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha worker will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
One more person was arrested on Friday in connection with the killing of Praveen Nettar in Dakshina Kannada district that happened earlier this week.
Earlier, two persons had been apprehended by police in relation to the case on Thursday.
Upon getting the complete details regarding the case, the state government will write to the Union Home Ministry requesting for a probe by the NIA.
"We have decided to hand over the case to the NIA since it is an inter-state issue (Karnataka-Kerala), we decided to hand over the matter to the NIA," Bommai told reporters here.
Nettar's killers had allegedly come on a Kerala-registered two-wheeler.
The Karnataka police has been in touch with its counterparts in neighbouring Kerala in the aftermath of the killing as both state DGPs spoke to each other.
The Chief Minister said Nettar's murder was a planned and organised crime.
After a meeting with Director General of Police Praveen Sood and other senior police officials with an eye on beefing up security measures, Bommai said CCTV cameras would be installed at all border crossing points along the Kerala border.
Checkposts would be set up and temporary police camps erected at sensitive spots in villages in the coastal region, he added.
Night patrolling would be intensified and an additional battalion of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) deployed in Dakshina Kannada district, Bommai further said.
Regarding the killing of a youth outside a textile shop in Surathkal, the Chief Minister said the investigation into the murder would be intensified and the culprits nabbed soon.
Special teams should be constituted to crack the case, he said, adding that peace meetings would be held with religious leaders at the district level.
Mohammad Fazil, a native of Surathkal, was murdered by four unknown assailants outside the shop on Thursday night.
Security has been beefed up in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in view of the tense situation, police said on Friday.
Schools and colleges in Surathkal, Bajpe, Mulki and Pannambur police station limits will remain closed today.
Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district K V Rajendra on Friday ordered closing of all the shops and business establishments from today evening till morning on August 1 based on intelligence reports.
"As the next three days are crucial according to several intelligence and police reports, we felt the need for stringent decision to maintain peace, law and order. We cannot call it a total curfew but it is only a measure to restrict public movement for non-essential activities," Rajendra said.
He added that essential services will remain open including hotels, kitchens and food delivery services while all the non-essential shops across the urban areas and panchayat limits will remain shut including cinema halls.
"Prohibitory orders have been imposed from Thursday night till July 30 morning," Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said.
Mangaluru is the district headquarters of Dakshina Kannada district.
All liquor shops will remain shut and 19 checkposts have been set up including at the Karnataka-Kerala border, where all the vehicles will be searched, the official said.
He added that no one will be allowed to roam in the city beyond 10 pm.
Meanwhile, a large number of people took part in the funeral procession of Fazil here today.
Leader of Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah demanded the resignation of Bommai, saying law and order in the state has 'completely collapsed'.
The killings in the state shows 'intelligence failure'.
"Intelligence comes under the CM while Law and Order falls under the Home Minister. So, they are responsible for it and should resign," he said.
Reacting to the charges, Bommai said 32 murders had taken place when he (Siddaramaiah) was the Chief Minister.
"What did he do then? He only tries to bring politics in everything. His statement is of no importance. We know how to manage things," he replied.
To a reporter's query on the Opposition Congress' accusation that the BJP was funding the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India PFI), Bommai said this is the most ridiculous charge, which displays the 'mental bankruptcy' of the Congress.
He also dismissed the opposition's demand for the Home Minister Araga Jnanendra's resignation, saying no one will resign.
He said his government was not treating Nettar's murder case as an ordinary one.
The state government is going into the motive behind the crime.
"Wait for a few days, you will get to know various decisions taken by us," he told the media.
Home Minister Jnanendra condemned the murder of the youth on Thursday and said those behind the incident will be brought to book.
He also said he has given instructions to deploy additional forces to ensure law and order in Dakshina Kannada district.
ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar told reporters that the investigation into Fazil's murder is on and the suspects will soon be arrested.