Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Sep 11: Ashraf, a notorious criminal, who had fled from the local police station after having been caught for trying to rape a minor girl at Nellikatte on September 8, was arrested by the police from Hassan. Ashraf, who is said to be a drug addict and had given the police a slip earlier too, was taken into custody on Wednesday September 10, well before the deadline set by Hindu organization for giving a bandh call in the region expired.

A police team from here had been deputed to Hassan district as the police personnel had suspected that Ashraf had fled to that district. The operation was carried out from Monday night onwards. This team was one of the three investigating teams formed by city police inspector, B K Manjaiah, which had been sent to Hassan, Ramanagara, and Kasargod districts to look for Ashraf.

Some Hindu organizations had set Thursday nightfall as deadline for the arrest of Ashraf, and they had warned of giving a bandh call on Friday if the accused remained at large after the deadline. Relating to the issue, additional district superintendent of police, S T Shivakumar, had talked to the representatives of Hindu organizations here on Wednesday. An auto rickshaw driver from Mukrumpady named Muhammed Hussain, who helped Ashraf to flee from the police station, has already been arrested and remanded to judicial custody for helping the accused to escape.

Ashraf now faces two cases, one under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and another for escaping from the police station. Local deputy superintendent of police, H D Mendonca, is guiding the investigation.

Additional superintendent of police, Shivakumar, speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, said that as per the orders of the higher officials in the department, disciplinary action will be taken against the erring policemen whose laxity helped Ashraf to escape. He said a report on the incident will be called for from the police station to pinpoint and hold the erring officials accountable and initiate disciplinary action against them.