Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP/SP)
Bantwal, Apr 21: A Abdul Jaleel Karopadi (42), who was former president and current vice president of Karopadi gram panchayat, and who was an upcoming Congress leader with lot of followers and admirers, had returned to office after parking his car outside, when he was attacked with machetes and killed on Thursday. He was rushed to a private hospital at Deralakatte by brother, Anwar Karopadi, but he was declared brought dead.
Western range IGP Harishekaran, district SP Bhushan G Borase, Bantwal assistant SP Ravish C R, Puttur assistant SP Bhasker Rai, circle inspector Manjayya, and DCIB inspector Amalulla conducted investigations from various angles.
Forensic experts Gaurish and his team conducted inspection and collected material evidences. Vittal station police sub inspector Rakshit A K, rural station’s Umesh, Venur station’s Lolaksha, Dharmastala station’s Koragappa Naik and sub inspectors from various stations arrived and arranged security.
Police suspect that the murderers came from Kerala for committing this specific crime. Tension prevailed in the area after the murder, and Vittal police took preventive steps. Police have formed five teams with the aim of cracking the case and arresting the culprits within two days but so far there is no clue why Jaleel was eliminated.
As per police analysis, professionals executed this crime. Jaleel freely mingled with everyone in the area, had friendly relationship with people and had no enemies. The truth behind why and who killed him will come out after the investigations.
Jaleel, who was working hard to make his party popular in the region, is survived by parents, three brothers and a sister, apart from wife, a son, and two daughters. The IGP suspects that the leader was killed by people with criminal antecedents.
Jaleel was alone in his room at the gram panchayat when the killers attacked him. It is suspected that both the motor bikes carrying the killes went towards Kerala by taking two different routes. Before rushing out of the gram panchayat office, the murderers flashed their machetes at the staff who were moving towards the room of the vice president to see what was happening, before fleeing. When some passersby heard alarms raised from inside the panchayat office and pelted stones at the fleeing motor bike riders, one of the riders threw his helmet at the attackers before zooming away. The police could not chase the killers immediately as the jeep allotted to Vittal station had been given to Bantwal station, whose vehicle was under repair.
It was found that the arm of one of the fibre chairs inside the room of Jaleel had been sliced. It appears that Jaleel tried to escape from the chair of vice president he was occupying when the intruders attacked him with chilli powder, and perhaps the killers swung their machete at him. The machete cut the arm of the fibre chair into two.
Jaleel's last meeting was the 'Sudharma' meeting organized at Anekallu Padpu Goddess Jaladurga Parameshwari temple of Karopadi village held on Wednesday night in which he was the chief guest. Jaleel and his father were hailed at the meeting for bringing grant from the government and laying a road to the temple.