Yashodhar Bangera 
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jun 26: The police arrested seven persons, who reportedly stole black pepper stock worth Rs 8.5 lac from a godown in Handelu in Puttige village at Moodbidri near here on June 21. The police, during their operation on Wednesday June 25, not only arrested seven accused, but also recovered black pepper from their possession. The police personnel also seized two vehicles used by the thieves.

During their interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to the police that they had hatched a plan to rob the house where Radhika Kumaraswamy resides with her family members.

On June 21, black pepper stored in 21 gunny bags weighing 60 kg each had been stolen from a godown near Handelu school belonging to Mukhesh Kumar Patel's K M B Enterprises. On Tuesday morning, workers of the godown saw that the lock of the godwon had been forced open, and black pepper bags had gone missing. The owner of the godown had expressed suspicion about the involvement of Harish from Kallamundkur, who used to work as a loader in this godown earlier, in this theft.

The police on Wednesday intercepted a Mahindra Scorpio vehicle in which two gunny bags containing black pepper was being transported, from near Mahaveer College here. They were given to understand that Naveen (30) from Valpady and Harish Poojary (32) from Kallamundkur, both of whom are engaged in centering work, were transporting this black pepper to Chikmagalur with the help of the driver of the vehicle, Sukesh Shetty (23) from Kairgundi here. The personnel also found some lethal weapons inside the vehicle.

During questioning of the three, the arrested persons revealed that Yogi alias Yogiraj (23), a labourer from Nellikar, Yogeesh Salian (26), who was skilled at fixing tiles, Mahesh (20), a labourer from Kotebagilu, and Pratap Rai (23), a conductor working for a private bus being operated from Puttur, had helped them in stealing black pepper bags. The police then took into possession 16 gunny bags loaded with black papper from a vacant house in Hudco Colony here. These four were also arrested.

The police have since learnt that a group of friends, Harish Poojary, Naveen, and Yogiraj, along with another group of friends comprising Sukesh Shetty, Mahesh, Naveen Kumar and Pratap Rai, had together planned to rob the house of Radhika Kumaraswamy at Salethur near Bantwal. The group of friends had planned to steal black pepper bags, after Harish Poojary, who had seen these pepper bags in the godown when he was hired by someone in the past, and executed their plan on June 21. However, their plan of robbing Radhika's house stands foiled. The police have been told that these friends used to meet at the above-mentioned vacant house in Hudco Colony to exchange information and draw their plans for robbery or theft.

Yogiraj was earlier named as accused in a case relating to murdering Shekhar, a tailor from Hosmar. This case is still in hearing stage in court. Sukesh and Naveen had earlier too been arrested by the police relating to minor cases of theft.

The police, in the above operation launched under the leadership of local police inspector, Anantapadmanabha, and sub-inspector, Ramesh Kumar, seized a Mahindra Scorpio anda Sumo Grade vehicles, besides two large sized swords, four knives, iron rod, and iron bars from the arrested accused.

In the meanwhile, two of the accused, who were involved with drawing a plan to rob Radhika Kumaraswamy's house, were arrested from Mangalore by a team led by deputy superintendent of police, Venkatesh Prasanna, on Tuesday June 24, when they were travelling in a bus. The arrested accused have been identified as Ravi from Bajagoli, and Manjula from Mangalore. They are being subjected to intensive interrogation, it is learnt. Initial investigations by the police reveal that the gang of thieves from here has been in contact with this duo.

The youngsters had planned to pool together expert robbers, equipments, arms etc, for robbing Radhika's house, where they thought, they would be able to bag a loot of around Rs 20 crore. As they required money to acquire these things, they stole pepper, the policemen said. 

The police had been tipped off several days back that a gang of robbers was planning to target Radhika's house, and therefore, had arranged for additional patrolling in Salethur area. District superintenden of police, Dr Sharanappa, is guiding the investigation.