Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Mar 9: The Udupi police have arrested five persons in connection with the murder of rowdy-sheeter Naveen D'Souza near Padubidri recently.
Addressing a press meet here on Friday March 9, Udupi superintendent of police Laxman Nimbargi said that the police have arrested Kishan Hegde (32) of Karkala who had been staying in Mumbai, Ramesh Poojary (43) of Shivalli, Mahesh Ganiga (31), a resident of Palimar, Mohanchandra V Shetty (23), a resident of Nadsal, and Nagaraj Poojary (18) of Kolalgiri, Uppoor.
Naveen D'Souza had been brutally assaulted just after he came out of a bar on the night of Wednesday February 28 at Kanjarkatte near Padubidri.
The SP said that Kishan Hegde had called up the other accused and assured to pay them Rs 2 lac and jobs in Pune if they helped him murder Naveen. Kishan and four others hatched the murder plot and armed with weapons, the gang went to Gloria bar at around 8.15 pm in white Swift car and lay in wait for Naveen who was in the bar.
Naveen came out along with Nagesh and Girish, and together they left in a bike. The gang that was lying in wait deliberately dashed into their bike, such that all three fell on to the road. The accused then assaulted Naveen with weapons and killed him, before escaping from the spot in their car.
Mahesh Ganiga who was driving the car in his statement to the police said that after they committed the crime, he drove the accused towards Kolalgiri through Belman-Sooda route. After that, he returned, while Kishan Hegde drove the car towards Mumbai.
The police led by ASI Ravi of DCIB who undertook the investigations traced the accused to Mumbai and arrested them near Pearl Line Beach Resort on Thursday March 8, while Mahesh was nabbed a day earlier at Bappanadu, Mulky and is currently in judicial custody for 14 days.
In his statement, Mahesh also revealed that Naveen had threatened to kill him after a fight in the same bar about 15 days ago, after which he conspired with Kishan to kill Naveen.
The police seized four machetes, a Maruti Swift and other items from the accused.
SP Nimbargi said that the financial dispute between Kishan and Naveen had led to the murder. Naveen had borrowed Rs 4 lac from Kishan, and failed to return it despite several reminders from Kishan. Mahesh who was a mutual acquaintance had told Kishan that Naveen was planning to kill the latter, and hence, Kishan wanted to finish him off before Naveen could do anything, the SP said.
Kishan got others to join him in the conspiracy by luring them with money.
"The accused have confessed to the crime and hence there is nothing more to investigate," the SP said.
"The CCTV images did not give enough clues, but with the images and other material that we collected, we zeroed-in Kishan Hegde who is also rowdy-sheeter under Padubidri police limits and four others," the SP said. He also praised the police team for solving the murder case within 9 days.
Among the accused, the main accused Kishan Hegde is a rowdy who is wanted in several cases including murder attempts and possession of weapons. He was declared absconder and a warrant was issued against him after he failed to appear in court.
Second accused Ramesh Poojary is also a rowdy-sheeter, wanted in 17 crimes including nine robbery cases in Udupi police station, and various other cases in police stations of Shirva, Manipal, Kaup, Brahmavar and Karkala.
Mahesh Ganiga is an accused in an attempt-to-murder case and abetment to suicide in Karkala police station, while Mohanchandra Shetty is a rowdy-sheeter as per records in Padubidri police station.