Bantwal: Murder of auto driver - VHP sets deadline for arrest of accused

Mounesh Vishwakarma
Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)

Updated

Bantwal, Mar 22: Relating to the incident in which an auto rickshaw driver, Rajesh (38) from Shivajinagar in Benjanapadavu near here was hacked to death by motor bike-borne assailants early morning on Friday March 21 at Kalpane auto rickshaw stand near B C Road, president of taluk unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Sarapady Ashok Shetty, has demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Setting a deadline of three days to the police to accomplish this task, he has warned of organizing taluk bandh on March 25 in case of their failure to meet this deadline.

Rajesh, who used to work as a bus agent at B C Road in the past, had started to work as auto rickshaw driver since about a year. He was alone in the rickshaw stand in his three-wheeler, when three unknown people came in a Pulsar motor bike and attacked him with sickles and swords. After Rajesh collapsed to the ground, the miscreants made good their escape. A woman, who saw Rajesh writhing in a pool of blood, passed on this information to locals, after which he was taken to a private hospital in Mangalore. However, by then he had lost huge amount of blood because of deep gash on his head, and was declared brought dead. The deceased is survived by wife and two children.

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 surmised 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 gathered 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. Shops and establishments located in Kalpane and Polali areas downed their shutters voluntarily. Police patrolling has been arranged in these areas as a precautionary measure against occurrence of untoward incidents.

The police have formed two teams to nab the culprits. 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.

Earlier Report: Mar 21

Bantwal: Unidentified assailants hack auto driver to death at Polali

Pics: Kishore Peraje / Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Mar 21: An auto rickshaw driver was attacked and hacked to death by four persons at Polali, Kalpane here on Friday March 21.

The deceased has been identified as Rajesh (30), a resident of Kalladka.

It is said that four persons came in two bikes and attacked him with weapons and fled the spot.

Rajesh was rushed to hospital but died on the way.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

Sources said that Rajesh was an accused in another murder case and this might have been an act of revenge.

Following the incident, residents of Polali voluntarily began to close down shops and businesses fearing further trouble.

Police are investigating.