Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)
Bantwal, Aug 12: The rural police here have laid stress on early detection of criminals involved with the murder of an auto rickshaw driver named Mohammed Rifai from Sujeer Badigudde near Maripalla. In a swift action, they have taken into custody two persons who supposedly extended support for the said crime.
Two teams, one led by local police circle inspector, Belliyappa, and the other by rural police sub-inspector, Nagaraj, have been engaged in the task. Reliable sources informed that the policemen have been trying to net four main accused relating to this murder.
Rifai, who was operating from rickshaw park No 1 at Farangipet in the taluk had been led away by some persons on the guise of hiring his services, before killing him and abandoning his body in a deserted spot neat a stream near Nethrakere.
The police investigation so far has also pointed to the revenge angle of the crime. They have learnt that Rifai was murdered as an act of vengeance for killing a person named Naushad, dealer in banana, on June 21, in which, brother of Rifai has been identified as an accused. It is learnt that the police had got enough leads to conclude that four persons were involved with the above murder directly. They are now interrogating two of the accused, who have been nabbed.
The other accused have gone missing, and search for them is on. Deputy superintendent of police of the local subdivision Rashmi Paraddi, has been guiding the investigation being conducted by police circle inspector, Belliyappa, and sub-inspector, Nagaraj, who are being assisted by the personnel of crime intelligence bureau.
Murdered auto rickshaw driver, Rifai, was never involved in any criminal acts, and he was a poor and sincere person leading a simple life. His murder has given rise to a sense of apprehension and anger among the auto driver community. The drivers had organized a protest on Sunday in front of the rural police station here, demanding protection from unscrupulous elements, and had set a 48-hour deadline for the arrest of culprits involved with the said murder.