Mangalore: Kadri, Udupi Shootouts - Bannanje Raja Aide Arrested in Lucknow
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Sep 3: The special task force of Uttar Pradesh police arrested Javed alias Ajai, an aide of gangster Bannanje Raja, in connection with the three-month old shoot-out at Kadri Park and the firing at the cashier of Airody Jewellers in Udupi two weeks ago.
Javed, a resident of Ahopur village in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh from Gomtinagar area, had gone missing after the attack on Airody Jewellers. It is learnt that Javed confessed to his involvement with various crimes in southern Indian states. A car and a cell phone were also confiscated from his possession by the police.
Senior police officers in Lucknow said that they had kept a tab on Javed's movements after receiving a request from Mangalore police. They said they found out some close associates of Javed and questioned them, and got to know about his activities from them. After his arrest, Javed reportedly told the police that he had tried to abduct a hotel owner from Mysore in December 2010, attacked Suresh Bhandary in Mangalore, and also fired at Airody Jewellers in Udupi.
Neeraj, an associate of Javed, had been arrested by Karnataka police with the help from their Uttar Pradesh counterparts some time back. UP police said they may hand over Javed to Karnataka police for further investigations.
"Acting on a tip-off we nabbed Javed Khan, who worked as a shooter for the gang of Bannanje Raja in Karnataka," Senior Superintendent of Police (STF) Vijay Prakash told reporters in Lucknow.
"The Karnataka police had sought our assistance to nab Khan, who was working with the Raja's gang for the last several years," he added.
While the news about the arrest was made public by a news bureau in Lucknow on Friday itself, Mangalore police commissioner, Seemant Kumar Singh expressed he had no knowledge of it. “It is true that a team led by Kadri police inspector is in Uttar Pradesh relating to the case. But I am yet to get official information of the arrest,” he clarified.
It may be recalled that the city police had arrested seven members of a gang loyal to Bannanje Raja near Kotttara Chowki on August 25 relating to the shootout incidents. Three revolvers, two cars, and a few mobile phone sets had been confiscated from their possession.
On May 26, alleged accomplices of Bannanje Raja had come in a motorcycle and tried to kill Suresh Bhandary, owner of Prithvi Developers, at Kadri Park by firing at him. On August 19, an aide of Bannanje had barged into Airody Jewellers in Udupi, and after firing three rounds at the cashier, had escaped in a two-wheeler.