Yashodhar Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Jul 2: The Bajpe police on Wednesday July 2 arrested three persons for allegedly stealing cattle by wielding weapons from a shed at Kuppepadavu on June 17.
The arrested are Mohammed Ashfaq (25) of Jokatte, Nisar (25) of Neerpade, and Umar Farooq (28) from Madadka, Beltangady. The police seized two Tata Sumo and Alto cars from them.
Five more accused in the case are yet to be arrested.
Sources said that the three persons arrested have so far stolen over a thousand cattle. The accused would then make money by selling the stolen cattle in places Bantwal, Beltangady, Uppinangady, Madikeri and others. The accused reportedly said that they would steal cattle between 11 pm and 11 am.
It is said that Ashfaq, Nisar and Farooq, in order to live a luxurious life, would keep a target of stealing over 10 cows a month. With this end in mind, they bought Sumo and Alto cars, and got the backseats of the vehicles removed. They would transport four to five cattle in each vehicle, it is said.
Sources said that Ashfaq was the mastermind of the gang. Interestingly though, it is said that he would distribute some part of the money made from cattle trafficking among the poor in Jokatte. He was an expert at cattle thieving and never hesitated to assault anyone who tried to stop him from stealing, said police sources.
On June 17, the gang had allegedly stolen four milk yielding cows from the shed of Bhaskar Kattemar at Kuppepadavu, by threatening the residents with swords. They took away the cows in their Sumo. The locals went on protest, and the police who quickened the investigation found that the thieves were from Jokatte. Based on credible information, the police arrested Nisar at Adoor on Tuesday July 1 night. The other two were arrested on Wednesday.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they would carry out their operations from a house in Muchoor in Bajpe. The accused face several cases in police stations at Karkala, Beltangady, Uppinangady, Sullia, Hosangady, Mudigere, Kadur, Teertahalli and other places. They were produced in court and sent to judicial custody for 15 days.
The investigation was conducted under the direction of Panambur ACP Ravikumar, by SI Narasimhamurthy, PSI H M Poovappa, and police personnel Rajesh, Seetaram Gowda, Shashidhar, Jayanand, Lucas, Abusali, and Prakash.