Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 29: The Mangaluru rural police on Monday June 29 arrested the prime accused in the murder of Abdul Hameed (40), who was hacked to death at Shakthinagar in October 2014.
The accused, identified as Bipin Rai had been absconding in Thailand, and a look out circular had been issued against him. The police apprehended him at Mangaluru International Airport where he arrived from Thailand via Dubai.
The incident took place on October 7, 2014. Hameed, a resident of Ansari road, Bunder, was brutally attacked with weapons by a group near Vaidyanatha Temple in Shakthinagar. Hameed's wife Sabina in her complaint had expressed suspicions that as Hameed had not paid back some loans, he might have been killed by someone involved in finance. A case was registered in Mangaluru police station and this angle was probed.
During investigation, it was learnt that Hameed had taken loan from Bipin Rai's 'Yashoda Krishna' finance firm located at Pumpwell, but had failed to pay it back. Bipin then allegedly gave 'supari' to rowdies to kill Hameed.
Soon after the crime, Bipin went absconding and managed to evade arrest. The police then kept a close watch on people who visited his house as well as his finance firm.
On October 10, 2014, Harish Kembar and Abhishek of Nagori, who were spotted near the finance firm and raised suspicions of the police, were taken into custody. During interrogation, they admitted that they had murdered Hameed on the instructions of Bipin Rai and one Harish Saphalya.
Based on their statements, the police then arrested Harish Saphalya and recovered machetes, a car and a scooter used for the crime. All the three accused - Harish Kembar, Abhishek and Saphalya were produced in court and are presently in judicial custody in Mangaluru district jail.
Meanwhile, the police learnt that the prime accused Bipin Rai had fled to a foreign country and a look out circular (LOC) was sent to all international airports in the country. However, Bipin had fled to Mumbai via Goa and then proceeded to Thailand on the night of the murder itself, it was learnt.
On June 29, Bipin returned to Mangaluru from Thailand via Dubai. The immigration officers at Mangaluru International Airport, who identified him from the look out circular, detained him and informed the Mangaluru rural police. The police then arrested him at the airport and produced him in court, which remanded him in judicial custody.