Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Jun 24: IGP (western range) Harishekharan on Saturday June 24 confirmed that five persons have been arrested in connection to the murder of SDPI Ammunje zonal president Ashraf Kalayi, while two others, the main accused are still absconding.
Addressing a press meet here, Harishekharan said that the murder conspiracy was hatched a month ago by accused Bharat Kumdelu and Divyaraj Shetty who are presently absconding.
Social Democratic Party of India's Ammunje unit president Ashraf Kalayi was hacked to death at Benjanapadavu by motor-bike born assailants on June 21. Following the murder, tension prevailed at various places in Bantwal and police have clamped Sec 144 in the entire district till June 27.
"According to the conspiracy hatched by Divyaraj and Bharat, the accused persons followed Ashraf on June 21 and hacked him to death. A few of the weapons used in the crime were found at the spot. While they were fleeing from the spot, one of the bikes developed a clutch problem, after which they separated into two groups and took differents routes to abscond. The investigation teams received information that the accused were in Padubidri in Udupi, from where they were arrested. We have learnt that the accused used four bikes, a sword and daggers to commit the crime," the IGP said.
Pawan Kumar alias Punda (24), a resident of Bantwal, Santosh alias Santhu (23), a resident of Thumbay, Shivaprasad alias Shivu (24) of Thumbay, Ranjith (28) of Bantwal, and Abhin Rai alias Abhi (23), also of Bantwal.
Except Santosh, all the other accused are involved in several cases in and around Bantwal.
Abhin Rai was involved in Tipu Jayanti clashes during 2015. Shivaprasad is an accused in a communal clash in Thumbay and two other cases. Ranjith is involved in two cases and Pawan in 5 cases, including one in which pig carcass was kept near a mosque to spark communal clashes in 2012, the IGP said.
Shivaprasad, Ranjith, Pawan, Santhosh were involved in attempt-to-murder a person named Unaid on June 20. Unaid was attacked at Thumbay and a case has been filed in Bantwal rural police station.
The five arrested have been produced in the court and remanded in police custody for five days.
The IGP further said that the city crime branch (CCB) police and the special team formed to investigate the murder cracked the case. "The teams spread out to Kerala, Bengaluru and Chikkamagaluru and gathered information related to the case," he said.
He also said that the remaining two accused, Divyaraj and Bharat, will be nabbed within two days as the police have already gathered information about their whereabouts.
To a question on the status of investigation into the murder of Jaleel Karopady, he said, "Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act (KCOCA) Act will be invoked against the accused. From the information that we have gathered, we are absolutely sure about the involvement of underworld element Vicky Shetty in the case."