Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 30: The city crime branch (CCB) police on Wednesday September 30 arrested three persons for attempting to murder Prakash Pinto, proprietor of city-based Paragon Builders and Promoters.

The arrested are Siddique alias Abubakker Siddique (28), a resident of Faisalnagar, Umar Farooq alias Everest Farooq (30) from Ullal, currently residing at Faisalnagar, and Altaf alias Bottu Altaf (28), a resident of Dharmanagar, Ullal.

It is said that on September 21, Prakash Pinto went to his office by car, and just as he got out and was walking towards his office, around four or five persons armed with machetes followed him and tried to kill him. However, when they saw that people had gathered, they fled from the spot in the Chevrolet car in which they had come. Prakash Pinto had then filed a complaint with the police.

The police gathered information about the car used by the accused and the same day, found it near Chilimbi. The police then arrested Raju alias Japan Manga who was among the group of attackers and seize the car used in the crime as well as two machetes.

The CCB police said that Prakash Pinto and another real estate businessman based in Moodbidri had some business related conflict, and that the accused Raju was given supari by the Moodbidri businessman to kill Pinto. The three accused arrested on Wednesday were Raju's accomplices in the crime, police said.

Among the three arrested, Siddique is an accused in an attempt-to-murder case that took place two months ago under Kumble police station limits. He was absconding since then.

Umar Farooq is accused of attempting to murder one Sakina in Ullal back in 2001. He also faces charges in three theft cases and another attempt-to murder case.

Altaf is an accused in 14 cases, including five attempt-to-murder, three thefts and a case related to communal violence. He was also absconding.

The accused have been handed over to Kadri police for further investigation.