Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Bantwal, Aug 13: The Bantwal rural police have succeeded in arresting three persons in connection with the brutal murder of auto rickshaw driver Mohammed Rifai a few days ago.
Mohammed Rifai
The accused, Mohammed Asif, Dhanraj and Siraj alias Balekai Siraj were arrested here on Tuesday August 12.
Asif is said to be the prime accused, and police investigations revealed that Dhanraj and Siraj had assisted him in committing the crime.
Another four to five persons are reportedly involved in the murder. Two teams led by Bantwal circle inspector Beliappa and rural SI Nagaraj are conducting investigations to hunt down the remaining accused.
SP Dr Sharanappa on Tuesday night and directed the police officials on the course of investigation.
The arrested persons will be produced in court on Wednesday August 13, sources said.
Mohammed Rifai was found murdered on Sunday August 10 at Nethrakere, and it is suspected that it was an act of revenge for Naushad's murder at Maripalla. Rifai, who was operating from rickshaw park number 1 at Farangipet in the taluk had been led away by some persons on the guise of hiring his services. He was then killed and his body abandoned in a deserted spot neat a stream near Nethrakere.
Rifai was the brother of Tousif, one of the accused arrested in Naushad murder case. However, locals say that Rifai was a hard working, simple and honest man and was murdered for no fault of his.