Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Mar 10: The builder fraternity in the city on Thursday March 10 thanked the police department for nabbing notorious underworld element Bannanje Raja, stating that his arrest had considerably brought down threats and extortion calls to real estate businessmen in the city.

Bannanje Raja was arrested in Morocco in February last year, and brought to India in August 2015. He is being probed for 16 of the 44 cases he is charged in, four of which are in various police stations of Udupi and a few in Mangaluru.

Addressing a press meet here, P M A Razak of Plama Builders said, "After the arrest of Bannanje Raja, threat and extortion calls to builders in Mangaluru from underworld elements have considerably reduced. Police officials put in sincere efforts in nabbing Bannanje Raja and succeeded. Hence, the builder fraternity thanks the entire police department for its efforts."

K C Naik of Mahabaleshwara Builders said, "Till a few years ago, builders and their families in the city were facing threats from underworld fugitive Bannanje Raja. Due to the efforts of police officers former IGP (western range) Gopal Hosur (retired), former IGP (western range) Prathap Reddy, former Mangaluru CCB inspector Venkatesh Prassanna, CCB inspector Valentine D'Souza, and former Mangaluru police commissioner Hitendra and the entire police department, it was possible to arrest Bannanje Raja.

"The builder fraternity sincerely thanks these police officers. May their efforts send a strong message to all underworld elements that they cannot win, and in the end only law and order will prevail," he added.

Razak added that even the present police commissioner Chandra Sekhar is doing a good job in controlling crime in the city.

Loknath Shetty of Bharath Builders was present at the press meet.