Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Mar 19: A person, who, in a pre-planned and clever operation, had stolen currency notes amounting to two lac rupees kept in the dash board of a pick-up truck that had been parked by the side of the road over a month back, was arrested by the policemen of the town station here.

Abdul Samad, an areca nut merchant from Sagar in Shimoga district had rented the pickup truck owned by Imran on February 10. After selling about 1,600 kg areca nut, he had kept two lac rupees, which was the sale proceeds of the areca nut, in the dash board of the vehicle. On the way back, the vehicle had been stopped briefly near Yennehole in the taluk for relieving themselves and at Kaikamba for having refreshments. Abdul Samad, who boarded the vehicle, found after some distance that the cash kept in the dash board had gone missing. On February 12, Samad had filed a complaint of theft, suspecting that drivers of the vehicle, Saleem and Azeem, who were inside when he had gone away to attend to nature's call, had stolen the money.

During the investigation, Karkala police got suspicion about the possible role of Praveen M K (25), who was working as cleaner of the vehicle till sometime back. On arrest and interrogation, Praveen confessed to the crime, the police said.

He told the policemen that after leaving the job as cleaner, he was working as photographer. He was in urgent need of money as he was into drinking, gambling, etc and hence, was in deep debt. He had noticed that Abdul Samad always kept sale proceeds of areca nut in the dash board, and that he always stopped at a particular hotel in Kaikamba during the journey for food.

When owner of the pickup truck, Imran, was having tea in a hotel in Sagar after keeping his key on the table, Praveen picked up the key unnoticed, got a duplicate key cut in a nearby workshop, before keeping the key back. When Samad went to Farangipet to sell areca nut, he borrowed a motor bike from a friend, making him believe that he had bagged an order of taking photos at a marriage function in Thirthahalli.

At 4 am on February 10, he started in the motor bike, and reached Kaikamba at 8.30 am. He waited there for the arrival of the pickup truck. As soon as the vehicle was parked and its occupants went inside the hotel to have tea, Praveen entered the vehicle by using the duplicate key, took money from the dash board, and went away.

The case was solved by Karkala circle inspector, G M Naykar and staff, under the directions of deputy superintendent of police, Vinay S Nayak, guidance of additional superintendent of police, Santosh Kumar, and orders of district superintendent of police, Annamalai.