Karkala: Demand for hafta, threat at gunpoint - Three Ravi Poojary aides arrested

Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, May 14: Three persons, said to be working for underworld fugitive, Ravi Poojary, were arrested by the police on Monday May 13, for allegedly demanding payment of hafta from the operator of a stone crusher here, and threatening him at gunpoint.

Nitin Kumar (22) from the town, Guruprasanna (22) from Salethur Bantwal, and Somanath (27) from Guddeangady near here, were arrested in this case. The other accused, Siddique (24) from Bantwal Balepuni, has gone missing, the policemen said.

The four persons named above had reportedly visited the home of C M Joy from Mala village in the taluk on Saturday May 11. Joy owns a stone crusher here. They had pointed a gun they were carrying with them at him, before threatening Joy of dire consequences if he fails to meet the demand for payment of hafta placed by Ravi Poojary. They had then left the place in a car used by them for travelling there.

The police personnel, who got information on Monday that the accused were moving towards Karkala from the direction of Hosmar village, intercepted the vehicle they were travelling in at Pajegudde near Bajagoli, and made the arrests. The police have recovered a foreign-made gun valued at five lac rupees, a car worth about nine lac rupees, six live bullets, and mobile phones from the accused.

It is said that the accused had placed a demand for the payment of Rs 50 lac.

Joy is a Kerala-based entrepreneur. Siddique, a sharp shooter from Kaddayi, Balepuni, is the main accused in the case. Siddque, an auto rickshaw driver by profession, was an accused in the murder case of Banglegudde Sulaiman. Guruprasanna Bhat from Gurumukunda House in Salethur Kolnad runs a hotel in Sullia. Nitin Kumar alias Nitin Madivala, a resident of Varnabettu on Bhuvanendra College Road in the town, was working as a manager in a hotel in Bijapur.

The four accused reportedly worked under instructions from Kaliyogeesh from Udupi, said to be an accomplice of Ravi Poojary. Some reports said that the accused had also fired in the air during their visit to Joy’s home.

Karkala deputy superintendent of police, Devaraj K G, and circle inspector, Valentine D’Souza, had guided the operations under the orders of district superintendent of police, Dr Boralingaiah. Azmat Ali, station house officer of the rural station, town police station in-charge, Pramod, assistant sub-inspector, Alphonse D’Souza, and other personnel had taken part in the operation.

During their questioning, the arrested persons reportedly revealed that under instructions from Kaliyogeesh, they had made threatening calls to several businessmen, and had collected protection money from a few of them. The police suspect that this gang was involved with a case in which block Congress president, Sudhakar Kotian, had received a call for payment of hafta a few months back. A case had been registered in rural police station in this regard.