News and pic: Stephan Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)

Kasargod, Oct 22: Police have arrested five interstate thieves in Kubanoor, Uppala near Kasargod on Wednesday.

The arrested are identified as Abdul Azeez Sheikh (42) from Mannangui Uppala,Bhaskar Belchappada (63) and Mrathyunjaya (32) from Mumbai, Deenanath(59) from Kolkata and Jayasheela(36) from Karkala.

A revolver, live bullets, three swords, an iron rod, plastic wire, a vehicle and two fake number plates were seized from the arrested.

It is said that the group had hatched a conspiracy to steal a finance company at Anekallu on Kerala and Karnataka border. They had failed in their two previous attempts.

They were arrested when they were trying to steal on their third attempt.

The arrested were staying in a rented house at Kubanoor for the last nine months. Bhaskar was their leader. A vehicle with Karnataka and Maharashtra registration used to come and go from there everyday. A Sumo car with Maharashtra registration had come to the rented house two days ago. A Karnataka registered number plate was later fixed to the vehicle. The locals who felt suspicious informed the police.

Police spied on the gang  before they arrested them. On Monday the police conducted the operation and arrested four from the gang while the fifth managed to escape. The police succeeded in arresting the fifth the next day.

Uppala Mannangui resident Abdul Azeez had arranged the rented house for the gang. Abdul Azeez had met Bhaskar when he was in Maharastra jail. The remaining members of the gang also had spent prison terms in Mumbai and Kolkata.

Dy SP T P Rajith had led the operation. Intelligence inspector C B Thomas, Kumble station circle inspector K P Suresh Babu, Sub Inspector K V Gangadharan, Sineesh Siriak, Srijeet, Jayaprakash, Pradeep Kumar Chavara, Sunil Abraham were in the team.