Kundapur: Extortion bid, death threat to Kollur priest's family - two arrested

Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Mar 4: The Kollur police have succeeded in arresting two persons, who reportedly demanded a sum of Rs 50 lac from the wife of a temple priest over the phone. The accused repeatedly called Mangala Gowri, wife of K Manjunath Adiga, chief priest of Kollur Goddess Mookambika Temple, over the last some days, and threatened to eliminate her son studying at Mysore in case of failure to cough up the above amount.

The two callers remained anonymous, but said they represented Harish Reddy, and the police are now making efforts to nab Reddy, who is said to be the brain behind this plan.

The arrested persons have been identified as Mohan Tingalaya from Bailakere near Mathura Chowltry in Udupi, and Shankar Mogaveera, a resident of Hiriyadka, both from Udupi. Harish Reddy, who is absconding, also reportedly belongs to Udupi.

It is said that the miscreants, who identified themselves as men working for Harish Reddy, called Mangala Gowri during the last week over cell phone, and said they would abduct and kill her son, Nityananda Adiga, in case of failure to meet their demand. Nityananda Adiga is presently undergoing Vedic training at Mysore. Fearful and tensed at the frequent calls, Mangala Gowri approached Kollur police station.

The police immediately drew up a plan with the participation of Adiga’s family members. On Sunday March 2, the family received a call, demanding advance payment of at least ten lac rupees on Monday. They asked Mangala Gowri to place this sum in the boot of a vehicle they said they would park near the welcome arch on Temple Road in the town at 5 pm on Monday. They told her that they would collect cash from the boot of this vehicle thereafter.

At about 5 pm, Mohan and Shankar arrived at the appointed place in a motor bike. The police rounded them up and took both of them into custody when they were opening the boot of a Qualis vehicle parked there. Harish Reddy did not accompany the culprits, and hence could not be arrested.

Kollur temple managing committee president, Krishnaprasad Adyantaya, noted that the police had arrested a gang that was planning robbery in this temple town about two months back. He said the devotees of the temple and the people in general have become fearful at this threat call, and demanded impartial investigation by the police, and arrest of all the culprits involved with this incident.