R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (SP)
Karkala, May 6: Two ruffians, who are said to be accomplices of notorious underworld fugitive Udupi Kali Yogish, were arrested by Hebri station house officer, Seetharam, on Monday May 5.
They had reportedly called a textiles merchant from the town in the name of underworld don Ravi Poojary, placed a demand for hafta (protection money) amounting to Rs 50 lac, and threatened to kill the merchant in case of his failure to pay up this amount.
The merchant in question, identified as Hebri Yogish Bhat, is learnt to have been receiving calls from an unidentified person, who claimed that he was making these calls at the behest of underworld fugitive, Ravi Poojary. The caller directed Bhat to arrange for the above amount failing which he said the merchant’s life would be in peril. Bhat remained stoic, and chose to ignore these calls.
On April 25, two youngsters visited the home of Yogish Bhat, and told him that they had been deputed specifically to warn him, as the latter had chosen to overlook the telephonic demands. Warning that the textiles merchant would face grave consequences if he failed to meet their demand, the youth went away.
Yogish Bhat thereafter sought police protection. Taking serious view of the incident, under the directions of Udupi district superintendent of police, Boralingaiah and instructions of assistant superintendent of police, Annamalai, Hebri station house officer, Seetharam, and his staff, prepared an elaborate plan to nab the criminals.
Tellar Nitin (23), and Abubakker Siddique (26) from Balepuni, Bantwal were arrested in connection to this case. A case was registered against them in rural police station here. It is learnt that the accused also face a case of threatening a person of Kerala origin named Joy, who presently stays at Mala, demanding protection money. Joy is involved with operating stone quarries. They had fired in the air in order to intimidate Joy into making payment of money as demanded.
Yogish Bhat had succeeded in identifying the culprits after going through photographs found in the collection of police department. The policemen, who got information that the accused were lurking in Hebri area onMonday morning, raided the place and took them into custody.