Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Mar 27: A gang of over 50 youth intercepted four persons, who were returning home after work in a jeep on the night of Tuesday March 25, and attacked the people in the jeep with lethal weapons. Another person who was passing by that road in his bike was pushed away, and his bike was torched.

The incident occurred at Jakimoole near Kambalabettu Dargah in Vittal, reportedly on account of pre-existing enmity.

Five persons, Abdul Razak (27) from Haladinagar in Vittal Mudnoor village, Abdul Basheer (26), Isubu (32) from Nekkare Kambalabettu, Abul Majeed (30) from Kambalabettu Shantinagar, and Abdul Sattar (38) from Kambalabettu Shantinagar, were arrested and produced in the court on Wednesday. Several others like Shaffi, Mannoor, Rafique, Abubakker, Munna and others have also been named in the complaint.

The incident occurred at around 10 pm on March 25 when Lingappa Gowda, Shashi, and Lokesh were returning home in a jeep owned by Karunakar Naytottu. A crowd stopped the jeep at Jakimoole and hit the passengers of the jeep with weapons indiscriminately. Karunakar was hit with iron rod in his head. As an attempt was made to twist and deform his hands and legs, his hand was fractured. The other three, who were assaulted badly, suffered injuries all over their bodies. A person named Ravi, brother of Lokesh, who was passing by in his motor bike, wanted to know what was happening. He was also chased by the assaulters. His bike was damaged and burnt down. The jeep was then pushed to the bank of a rivulet flowing nearby.

After he was informed about the attack by some locals, Vittal station police sub-inspector, Raghavendra T R, rushed to the spot with some colleagues. He found two persons lying on the road in a deserted spot on a mud road leading to Kolambe. He called the ambulance service, but sensing that its arrival would require more time, took the injured people to Vittal community hospital, where first aid was rendered. They were later shifted to a private hospital in Puttur. Two others, who had come under attack and had taken shelter nearby, were admitted into Puttur hospital through ambulance. Ravi, who had escaped the wrath of the crowd by running away, got admitted into the hospital later.

The annual Uroos being organized by Kambalabettu Mohiuddin and Ibrahim Jamaat Committee as well as Uroos Committee at Kambalabettu Sadath Nagara Valiyullahi Dargah Shariff was on since Tuesday. Youth had attended the Uroos in large numbers. As per one account, the people in the jeep were attacked by a group of youth who were participating in the Uroos, as they were angry at the fact that the people in the jeep had spoken to a few women taking part in the Uroos.

After the policemen from Vittal left the spot, the gang returned to the spot, and damaged the jeep, besides torching the motor bike. By the time the police returned once again, the miscreants had made good their escape.

Bantwal deputy superintendent of police, Rashmi Pareddi, circle inspector, Rajashekhar Mistry, Vittal police sub-inspector, Raghavendra T R, and other policemen succeeded in restoring normalcy in the area. As a precautionary measure, two police vehicles have been stationed in the area.