Following the killing of 32-year-old Abdul Rahim in Mangaluru district, police have detained three suspects, including Deepak and Sumit Acharya, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed authorities to expedite arrests.
According to a complaint filed at Bantwal Rural Police Station by ambulance driver Mohammad Nissar, the attack on Abdul Rahim—secretary of Koltamajalu Jumma Masjid—and his co-worker Kalandar Shafi (29) was premeditated. The assailants, a gang of 15 people known to the victims, lured them under the guise of sand delivery to a house in Ira Kodi, Kuryal village, where they were ambushed. They were dragged from their pickup truck and viciously attacked with swords, knives, and iron rods. Abdul Rahim succumbed to his injuries, while Shafi remains critically injured and identified two attackers en route to the hospital.
Police have registered a comprehensive FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including murder, abetment, and unlawful assembly. Security has been heightened across sensitive areas such as Koltamajalu, Surathkal, Gurupura, Bajpe, and Kaikamba, with additional personnel deployed from neighboring districts. Prohibitory orders are in place to prevent unrest.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) R Hitendra emphasized action against inflammatory social media content spreading hate and falsehoods. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao condemned the killing and coordinated with officials to monitor the situation.
Abdul Rahim, a goods vehicle operator with no criminal record, leaves behind two children. A police team led by a deputy superintendent is pursuing the remaining accused and investigating the motive, amid speculation of retaliatory violence after a recent murder of a Hindu activist in the area.
Tensions Rise in Bantwal After Abdul Rahiman’s Murder, Police Launch Manhunt
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