The police have arrested nine people in connection with the murder of Praveen (32), who was killed in broad daylight in Hassan town on April 4. A pro-Kannada activist is one among the accused in the murder.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Kumar Shahapurwad, at a press conference in Hassan on Tuesday, said that Praveen’s personal enmity with Santhosh, a resident of Soudarahalli in Hassan taluk, was the cause for the murder. Santhosh, who is in judicial custody, allegedly paid the killers Rs. 25 lakh to kill Praveen and even paid them Rs. 50,000 as advance.
The police allege that Santhosh was also involved in murder of Praveen’s brother Pramod, recently. All the arrested are from villages near Hassan. The officer said that six more people involved in the crime were absconding.