Date : 20-03-2015
Newskarnataka – Bantwal
Bantwal: The president of Taluk unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Sarapady Ashok Shetty, has demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits who hacked to death 30-year-old auto rickshaw driver Rajesh on Friday March 21 at Kalpane auto rickshaw stand near B C Road.
Agitated by Rajesh’s death, Sarapady Ashok Shetty has given a ultimatum to the police of three days to arrest the criminals and notified that if action is not taken, a taluk bandh will be organized on March 25.
Rajesh, who used to work as a bus agent at B C Road in the past, had started to work as auto rickshaw driver for the last one year. He was alone in the rickshaw stand in his three-wheeler, when four unknown people came in a motor bike and attacked him with sickles and knifes, after which they escaped.
A woman saw a wounded Rajesh and informed the locals, after which he was taken to a private hospital, however he succumbed on the way to the hospital.
In-charge Inspector General of Police, R Hitendra, district Superintendent of Police (SP), Dr Sharanappa, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Rashmi Paraddi, inspector, Rajashekhar Maistri, sub-inspectors, Sanjay Kumar and Nagaraj, were among those who rushed to the spot. Finger print experts also were pressed into service.
It is suspected that Rajesh, who was identified with pro-Hindu organizations, was done in as an act of vengeance for the murder of Iqbal, an auto rickshaw driver. Iqbal had been killed in a rubber plantation at Goremar in Amtadi village, after leading him there in the guise of hiring his auto rickshaw from B C Road, on February 21, 2008. Rajesh was one of the main accused among the 13 named in the case, and the district court had acquitted all the accused of the murder charge about eight months back.
It is also known that Rajesh had escaped two earlier attacks on him, and the personnel of the town police station have been investigating both these cases. Post mortem of Rajesh was conducted in a private hospital in Mangalore.
MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP leader, Srikar Prabhu, and Bajrang Dal leader, Sharan Pumpwell, were among those who visited the hospital. The auto rickshaw drivers of the area, condemning the murder, staged a protest at the rickshaw stand by waving black flags.
A team each from the district crime intelligence bureau and Bantwal crime branch, have been assigned with the task. SP, Dr Sharanappa, has camped in the town to personally supervise investigation and monitor the situation.
