Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 23: Among the murders that have taken place in the city in the recent past, the case of Target Ilyas murder is the only one in which accused have remained at large, and no arrests have been made so far. During the last ten days since Ilyas was murdered, the investigating police who went about the task of identifying the culprits, have reasons to believe that the killers might have been hiding in Kerala.

Three police teams have been entrusted with the work of cracking this case. Ilyas, who was notorious for his involvement with collection of protection money, honey trap etc, was stabbed to death by two strangers who entered his apartment at Jeppu Kudupady on January 13 morning. The police say that four killers were directly involved with the murder at the behest of Dawood, a rowdy sheeter. It is felt that in all possibility, Dawood would have escaped to Kerala via Talapady after the murder.

Ilyas, who stayed at Sundari Bagh in Ullal, dropped out of school when in seventh standard and began to sell Samosas with father and brother. He also worked as car driver for sometime. During this period, he came in contact with Dawood and also Safwan, a resident of Katipalla, through whom he entered the world of crime. After he began to target rich persons through honey traps by putting to use women from his own community, he came to be known as Target Ilyas.

Although he was involved with several cases, only three cases were registered against ilyas in Ullal station, as most of the people shied away fearing for their image getting sullied.

Ilyas, who was arrested once under Goonda Act and released, and his gang, had been warned against getting involved with criminal activities. Ilyas had been externed from Ullal limits. He thereafter changed residence to a spot falling within Bantwal police station. After he was shunted out of Bantwal, he started living at Suratkal. He was externed from there too. He then entered politics under the guidance of a district level leader of a party. He also fought for the post of the district president of the youth wing of the party but was defeated. He thereafter got the post of the vice president and escaped from the cycle of externments.

Dawood, Ilyas and Safwan who were together under Target gang had collected about Rs 35 lac from an entrepreneur in Ullal after the entrepreneur became victim of honey trap laid out by them. But differences arose between Ilyas and two others over the issue of sharing of the booty. It is said that people close to Ilyas had tried to eliminate Dawood. Many also were jealous of the rise of Ilyas from being a small time rowdy. As Safwan has been lying low in a case of abduction and murder of a youth, it is believed that Dawood had got this murder executed thorugh his accomplice, Samir and others, who it is thought, may be in Kerala now.