Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Jul 1: A group allegedly entered a house near Bolmar mosque on Kerala-Karnataka border on Thursday June 30 and fired bullets and assaulted four persons with machetes.
The injured are Majeed (26), his wife Aishat Fouzia (24), Majeed's mother Nabeesa (45) and brother Siraj (23). They are admitted in Wenlock hospital in Mangaluru.
It is said that the group comprising about 30 people entered the house on Thursday between 3 am and 3.30 am. They allegedly attacked the family with machetes, shot bullets and created an atmosphere of panic. The group also damaged the wheels and windows of vehicles parked outside the house.
The attackers were masked. They had arrived in four vehicles including Swift, Hyundai i20, Ertiga and Alto. They had weapons such as revolver, gun, machetes, rod etc, sources said.
Several locals who had come to the mosque were present at the time of the attack. They ran helter-skelter, terrified at the group brandishing machetes and shooting at will. Locals said that they heard more than fifty rounds of gun shots. The locals have identified Sharif Medu and Rafiq Thalekki Medu as those among the group. The attackers even damaged a bike and an Alto car left behind by locals who escaped the assault.
It is learnt that after the attack, some of the assaulters drove towards Kerala in a car while the others went towards Karnataka via Thalekki. They then parked a Ritz car in one of the houses at the end of a lane at Bolmar, deflated all the four tyres and fled the scene.
Attack related to illegal sand mining?
It is believed that it was a revenge attack over sand mining issue. Illegal sand trade on the Kerala-Karnataka border is no secret. Sand laden lorries are parked during the day along the border, and illegal activities start at night, say the locals. Consumption of alcohol and drugs is also common, it is claimed. The residents of border area have urged for strict action by the authorities.
As per locals, the attack was a result of dispute between groups of illegal sand dealers. Police had detained two lorries transporting sand to Kerala 15 days ago. Kerala police too had seized nine sand laden lorries later.
There was friction between two groups on Thursday at 2 am over this issue. Lorry cleaner Majeed and driver Azeez were injured. Manjeshwar police rushed to the scene and the two groups had dispersed. The shooting incident is believed to be a continuation of this feud.