Mangaluru: Panambur police have arrested a man in connection with the murder of an unidentified person whose throat-slit body was found near Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) at Arikere, Jokatte in Tokur under the Panambur police station limits. The accused was traced and apprehended in Goa by the Konkan Railway police before being handed over to the investigating team from Mangaluru.
The arrested accused has been identified as Prashant Kumar (36), a resident of Shivaji Nagar in Darbhanga district of Bihar. He is being brought to Mangaluru and will be produced before a court.
Body found near MSEZ
The case came to light on the morning of June 10 when the body of an unidentified man was discovered near MSEZ at Arikere, Jokatte. Passers-by alerted local residents about the presence of the body, prompting Kishore and Ganesh to visit the location.
Upon reaching the spot, they found the man lying dead with a deep cut on his neck. The gruesome nature of the injuries immediately raised suspicions of murder, following which the Panambur police launched an investigation.
The identity of the deceased has not yet been disclosed by the police.
Blood stains led police to suspect tenant
During the initial investigation, police and local residents noticed blood stains near the gate of a rented house belonging to Monappa, situated close to where the body was found.
Suspicion soon centred on a tenant residing in the house after it was discovered that he had switched off his mobile phone and gone missing shortly after the incident. The tenant’s sudden disappearance raised doubts among local residents, who approached the police suspecting his involvement in the murder.
According to the complaint lodged with the Panambur police, the unidentified man was allegedly killed by having his throat slit, and the body was later dumped near the location where it was recovered.
Konkan Railway police trace accused
As the investigation progressed, police received information that the suspect was travelling towards Goa aboard the Nizamuddin Express. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the Konkan Railway police launched an operation to trace and apprehend him.
Following instructions from Konkan Railway police inspector Vikram Naik, a special team headed by Jitendra Gowda was formed. Police personnel Wasim Sheikh, Manjunath Doddamani and Sanjay Gaonkar were deployed to maintain surveillance at the railway station and monitor the suspect’s movements.
The operation involved extensive use of CCTV footage, technical analysis and intelligence inputs to establish the accused’s whereabouts and movements.
Arrest made after coordinated operation
Working under the guidance of Konkan Railway Superintendent of Police Shekhar Prabhudesai, Deputy Superintendent of Police Hiru Kavlekar and inspector Vikram Naik, the special team successfully tracked down and apprehended the suspect in Goa.
Police officials said the arrest was made following a coordinated effort between railway police personnel and investigators, who utilised multiple sources of information to confirm the accused’s identity and location.
After completing the necessary formalities, the Goa Konkan Railway police handed over the accused to inspector Mohammed Salim, the investigating officer from Panambur police station.
Further investigation underway
The accused is currently being brought to Mangaluru for further interrogation and legal proceedings. Police are expected to question him regarding the motive behind the murder and the circumstances leading to the victim’s death.
Investigators are also working to establish the identity of the deceased and determine whether the accused and the victim were known to each other prior to the incident.
The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the case, and police expect further details to emerge during the course of the investigation.