Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jul 31: In connection with the murder of Guruprasad Bhat in a club located in 7th Heaven Hotel building on Manipal - Perampally Road on Sunday July 29, the police have succeeded in arresting the main accused at around midnight on Sunday from Uppoor Kolalgiri here.
The arrested accused happens to be Ranjith Pinto (37) from Kolalgiri. He is the elder brother of Sujith Pinto, who has already been arrested in the case.
Out of four persons who were trying to flee in an Omni van after murdering Guruprasad, three had been arrested by the police from near Kandlur check post on Sunday evening. The Omni van and a knife used by the arrested accused for the murder were seized from their possession.
Guruprasad Bhat
Reportedly, the murder-accused and Guruprasad had financial dealings between them and Ranjith Pinto had called Guruprasad on Saturday night in this connection. During their conversation, heated arguments took place and Guruprasad is said to have used some expletives against Ranjith's mother. Angry over this development, the two brothers, with the support of two others, gatecrashed into the club and murdered Guruprasad Bhat with a knife, police investigation has revealed.
Both Ranjith and Sujith Pinto are rowdy-sheeters in the records of the town and Malpe police stations, and face a number of cases in different police stations. Ranjith's name also has been recorded as rowdy-sheeter in Brahmavar police station records. It is learnt that the police had proposed to invoke provisions of Goonda Act against these brothers, but their proposal failed in the court.
Sujith, named as main accused in a murder at Hiriadka Kotnakatte on December 19, 2017, had been arrested and had recently secured bail. Police sources said that he also happens to be a rowdy-sheeter in the books of Hiriadka police station.
On being produced in the court, all the four arrested accused were remanded to three days police custody by the additional civil judge's court here till August 2. They were produced before the court by Manipal police inspector, Sudarshan, on Monday evening.
District superintendent of police, Laxman Nimbargi, said that all the accused in the case stand arrested, and investigations alone will reveal whether any more were involved with this crime. He said that financial dealings and use of derogatory words against mother were apparently the causes behind this murder. At the same time, he said the amount due to the accused from Guruprasad is yet to be ascertained.