Mangaluru: City police have arrested three persons, including two accused who allegedly provided logistical support and shelter to the main offenders, in connection with the highway robbery of a gold merchant on National Highway 66 near Baikampady in the early hours of June 29. Police said the three were produced before a court, which remanded them to 10 days of police custody for further interrogation.
Three accused arrested
Addressing the media, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH identified the arrested as Nimil RK (37) of Kannur district in Kerala, Irshad (40) of Hakathur in Kodagu district, and Mustafa (49) of Madikeri.
According to the police, Nimil RK was arrested at Chala in Kannur on July 2 by a team led by Panambur Police Inspector Saleem Abbas. Investigators later arrested Irshad, who allegedly provided shelter and assistance to the accused after the robbery.
Mustafa was arrested at Murnad Junction in Madikeri taluk. Police alleged that he arranged a vehicle and provided shelter to the accused involved in the crime.
Gold merchant robbed on NH-66
The robbery took place when Vikar Subbarao Dhanawade (44), a resident of Maharashtra, was travelling with his family to Payyanur in Kerala.
Police said the family’s car was intercepted by six to seven masked men travelling in two motorcycles and a car. The assailants allegedly threatened the family with swords and assaulted Dhanawade, causing injuries.
The accused also allegedly abducted his wife and son before abandoning them a few kilometres away. They then fled with the complainant’s car, which contained around 180 grams of gold jewellery valued at approximately ₹20 lakh, two mobile phones worth around ₹10,000, and the vehicle valued at nearly ₹3 lakh.
The total value of the stolen property has been estimated at ₹23.10 lakh.
Case registered under BNS
Based on the complaint, the Panambur Police registered a case under Sections 310(2), 311, 324(2), 137(2) and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property (KPDLP) Act.
During the investigation, police recovered the complainant’s car on June 30 from a hilly area at Pacchinadka in Bantwal taluk.
Investigators have also seized another car that was allegedly used during the robbery.
Fourteen directly involved, says police
Commissioner Reddy said preliminary investigations revealed that 14 persons were directly involved in carrying out the robbery, while two others allegedly provided logistical support and shelter, taking the total number of accused in the case to 16.
He added that 13 suspects, including the prime accused, are still absconding, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest them.
Police have so far recovered the complainant’s vehicle and one of the vehicles allegedly used in the crime. However, the remaining three vehicles, the 180 grams of stolen gold jewellery, and the two mobile phones are yet to be recovered.
Investigation continues
The investigation has revealed that all the accused are from Kodagu district in Karnataka and Kerala.
The probe is being supervised by North Sub-Division Assistant Commissioner of Police Srikanth K and Mangaluru City CCB Assistant Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Naik.
The operation involved officers and personnel from the Panambur Police Station, City Crime Branch (CCB), and the Kavoor, Mulki, Kankanady and Urwa police stations. Police said efforts are continuing to apprehend the remaining accused and recover the stolen property.