Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 18: The mystery of the abandoned taxi found at Neerakatte near Uppinangady in Puttur taluk on Wednesday February 17 has become deeper with the wife of the taxi's owner filing a missing complaint about her husband and stating that four persons who hired his car had plotted to kill him.
V A Ismail
File Photo
The taxi, bearing the registration number KA-20-C-3198 was left abandoned on the highway at Neerakatte with its key in the ignition. On inspection, the police had found blood stains in the trunk of the car, and a mobile number printed on its rear door. The phone was switched off. The RTA documents revealed that the car belonged to one V A Ismail.
In a complaint filed in Konaje police station here on Thursday February 18, Ismail's wife Nabeesa stated that her husband, who was the driver as well as owner of the car, went missing on February 16.
As per the complaint, at 8 am on February 16, Ismail left for Mangaluru from his house at Dadinje in Inoli, Pavoor in his tourist car. At around 10 am, he called his wife and asked her to arrange Rs 75,000 and come with the money to Asaigoli. Ismail came to Asaigoli in the car and took the money from Nabeesa. Also, he took another Rs 1,75,000 from Karavali Society, and said he had to go to Farangipet with the money (Rs 2,50,000).
At around 4 pm the same day, Ismail called his wife on phone and said he was going to Hassan and Bengaluru taking four persons who had hired his taxi service. He called her again at around 8.40 pm and said his car had broken down. He also said that the four passengers in his car were good people and had helped him by pushing the car. At around 9.30 pm, Ismail told his wife that they were having dinner near Uppinangady.
However, things seemed to have gone wrong thereafter. According to the complaint, Ismail called his wife at around 11.45 pm and said that the four passengers were dangerous and had planned to kill him. "Look after the children well," he told his wife and disconnected the call. Since then, his mobile phone has been switched off.
Nabeesa hoped that her husband would be back the next day, but there was no clue about his whereabouts even till Wednesday night. On Thursday, Nabeesa's relatives informed her about the abandoned car found at Neerakatte which was reported in the media. Nabeesa who grew worried and anxious on hearing the news immediately contacted her brother Basheer, and together they searched for Ismail in and around Uppinangady. Their search turned futile, after which Nabeesa filed a missing complaint about her husband in Konaje police station. No image of the car was captured in the CCTV installed at Thumbay toll gate. Moreover, as it was dark and there was no electricity, the CCTV images were unclear, said toll gate officials.
Ismail and Nabeesa have three sons and a daughter. Ismail owns an auto rickshaw, a car and a Tata Sumo and the family is financially stable, sources said. Nabeesa is Ismail's second wife. His first wife stays in Mulky and has four children.