Mangalore: Meteoric Rise and Fall of Notorious Don, Bannanje Raja
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Oct 13: At a time when the policemen of the state have been nursing the hope that Bannanje Raja, a native of Malpe, one of the most dreaded criminals of the state who is presently in the custody of the Dubai police, would be deported soon to India, to be able to book him for various crimes in the twin-districts, his past makes an interesting reading. As already informed, the Dubai policemen are yet to officially announce about his arrest.
Bannanje Raja (40), originally from Bannanje village in Udupi, and son of Sundar Shettigar and Vilasini, is a BA graduate. The earliest case relating to Bannanje Raja appears to be the one relating to throwing a member of his rival camp to the ground floor, from the first floor of Poornaprajna College, Udupi, in the year 1990, when he was studying in PUC. He escaped after being arrested in a murder case relating a man named Vittal Shetty of Kokkarne village later, with help of a local lady politician. At the beginning, he worked in Mandovi Motors Udupi and later, as a bus agent. He went to Bangalore thereafter and there too, functioned as a bus agent for some time.
Presently, he faces 11 major cases in Udupi, seven in Dakshina Kannada district and seven in Bangalore. In Brahmavar police station, a case relating to the murder of a man named Kushal Shetty was registered against Raja in 1991, followed by a case of molesting a few inmates of ladies hostel in the same year, in Udupi town police station. In 1992, an attempt to murder case was registered in Manipal police station, a case of threat to life in Malpe police station and again, another case of death threat in Malpe police station in 1994. Various cases against him that are pending in Bangalore include the Hafta collection, attempt to murder a man named Seena by firing at him, another murder attempt within Upparapet police station limits, death threat in Cubbon Park station, Hafta demand in Kengeri police station limits coupled with death threat etc. He has a pending case about the murder attempt on human rights activist P B D'Sa, registered in the city in 2002, stabbing and murder threat case in Udupi in 1996, robbery at Balmatta Souza Sterionics in 2005, murder of builder Subba Rao in the city on July 31, 2007, firing at medical shops etc. There are reasons to believe that various builders to whom he posed death threats and extorted money, have not registered any cases against him, out of fear.
He is known to have developed close proximity to Chota Rajan, and at his instance, had killed Mohan Kotian from Katpady in Udupi, who had allegedly cheated Chota Rajan. After working as a bus agent and using his closeness to some politicians, he had worked for Muttappa Rai's gang for sometime, it is said.
There are at least 26 cases pending against Raja and red corner notices had been issued for his arrest earlier.