Mangaluru: In a major breakthrough, the Dakshina Kannada police have arrested five accused in the murder of Ashraf Kalai (35), Social Democratic Party of India leader, who was hacked to death in broad daylight at Benjanpadavu of Bantwal on June 21.
IGP P Harishekaran told the press that the arrested are Pavan Kumar alias Punda (24), Santhosh alias Santhu (23), Shivaprasad alias Shivu (24), Ranjith (28) and Abhin Rai (23). All the accused are from Bantwal Taluk.
Bharath Kumdelu and Divyaraj Shetty are the key conspirators of the murder and they are at large.
Excluding Santhosh, all other accused are having criminal cases against them. Abhin Rai was booked for violence during the Tipu Jayanthi in 2015. Shivaprasad was also booked in a case of violence that took place near Tumbe in 2015 and he has two other cases against him. Pawan was booked for placing the head of a pig at a religious centre and he also has 5 separate cases of attacks against him.
From one month, under the guidance of Bharath and Divyaraj, all accused were plotting to execute Ashraf. After executing the crime, the lethal weapons were thrown near the murder spot. Police also recovered machetes, knives and two bikes from the accused. The four had come on two separate bikes.
Police have taken all the five accused into custody after producing them in the court.
Bharath Kumdelu and Pawan are both rowdy sheeters.
He also said that the accused Shivaprasad, Ranjith, Pawan, Santhosh had attempted to murder one Unaid on June 20 in Tumbe. A case is registered in Bantwal Rural Police Station.
Goonda Act
IGP also said that he had asked SP to form a special team and invoke Goonda Act against 20 communal elements, irrespective of caste and religion in Bantwal surrounding and in the district. The team will also probe into the communal elements in Sullia, Puttur and Bantwal taluks.
When asked about the motive behind Abdul Jaleel Korapadi’s murder, IGP said that underworld element Vicky Shetty was involved in this crime. COCA would be clamped in this case, he added.
