Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Jan 3 : After two days of finding the dead body of Umesh Shetty at the forest behind the Niddodi church, many questions regarding his death remain unanswered.

Umesh Shetty (29), son of Ramakrishna and Prabhavathi from Kilenjur near Kinnigoli was missing from December 28. Police have found no clue yet.

Umesh who was in Mumbai had shifted to Kilenjur three years back. He became a partner in a transport business at Panambur. Every day he used to travel to Panambur by bus. He had bought two trucks and an old car. He was also doing some dry coconut business.

As per details of the case, On December 28, Umesh got down from the bus at Pakshikere and went in a white Maruti Swift car. He told the bus conductor that some people are waiting for him at Pakshikere. As he was not seen after that, a missing complaint was lodged at Mulky police station subsequently.

On December 30, an NRI family had found the purse belonging to Umesh Shetty at Niddodi. Based on the records found in the purse, they searched for him in Facebook. They sent a message to Umesh through his Facebook account and also a friend request. But they found that Umesh was not active in Facebook for past some days. As the NRI family had to go back, they left the purse with one of their relatives who gave the information to police.

When the search was launched from the place the purse was found, Umesh Shetty’s dead body was located. The distance between the places, the body and purse were found, was one and half kilometre.

Police have recorded the death as suspicious though not sure whether it is a murder or suicide. Police sources say murder is strongly suspected.

As the CCTV cameras installed at Kinnigoli area were not working on the day Umesh disappeared. Clues regarding the Maruti Swift car which took him, are yet to be obtained.

Umesh told his close friends that he was venturing into quarry business. Police believe that some gang could have called him in the name of quarry business and could have killed him for money. It is not sure how much money Umesh was carrying.

There are no injury marks on the body. In the cases of planned murders, injury marks on body are not found, as sophisticated techniques are used. Some members of a gang earlier had committed a murder at Kilenjur in the same way. But all of them are in jail. So role of similar gang is suspected now.

Mobile phone of Umesh has not been found yet. Last call was recorded at Elinje tower after he went missing.

People say Umesh was introvert and spoke less with others. But all liked him. Murder of innocent man in a village has sent shockwaves in the area.