Daijiworld Media Network - Moodbidri (SP)
Moodbidri, Jul 17: In a sudden volte-face, the policemen have termed the death of Shekhr Rathod (31), a National Security Group commando, who was working as gunman in the team of security men provided to opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, L K Advani, as murder.
Rathod, who was on a visit to his native place in Badami Hanabad in Bagalkot district on leave, had come to Mangalore on some work. Before returning, he wanted to visit his niece studying in Alva's college Moodbidri. He was found lying on the road with critical injuries at Handelu near Moodbidri on May 27. After providing first aid at Moodbidri and shifting him to a hospital in Mangalore, he was pronounced dead the next morning. The case was treated as hit and run case. It may be recalled that former president of Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat K P Sucharita Shetty had claimed that this was a case of murder.
The policemen, after investigating the mysterious death of Rathod, arrested Nazir, Imran, Firoz, another man named Imran, Samshuddin, Riaz and Kunhimon, all residents of Moodbidri and its neighbourhood, on Wednesday July 15.
It was rumoured that Rathod was found in the company of a lady in a bar in Moodbidri on the day of his visit here. It is learnt that the fact that a lady from a different community provided him company at the bar, angered a group of youths. It is learnt that the accused were traced, on the basis of the complaint lodged by this woman.
A group of Muslim youth, who saw Rathod with the woman, waited outside and assaulted Rathod as the two came out of the bar. While forcibly taking them in a rickshaw to Handelu too, Rathod was severely beaten up. As Rathod jumped out of the rickshaw to save himself, he was hit by a tempo and got seriously injured. The policemen neglected the information emanating from some quarters about the possibility of the incident being a murder, and stuck with the theory that it was an accident. The policemen believe, they have reached to the bottom of the case now.
The identity of the woman in question remains a mystery. Some say Rathod would have been introduced to her during his previous visit to Moodbidri.