Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Mar 23: Police have arrested four rowdy-sheeters in connection to two-wheeler theft on Tuesday March 23, informed police commissioner N Shashi Kumar.

Addressing media here on Tuesday March 23, N Shashi Kumar said, “The arrested are Deekshith (32) from Kulshekar, Chandra alias Chandrahas Poojary (34) from Someshwara, Prajwal alias Hemachandra (34) from Kotekar and Santhosh Poojary alias Nayi Santhu (34) from Chelar Surathkal.

“On March 17 and 18, two cases were filed at Mangaluru rural police station and Kankanady police station. In the cases, the accused had intercepted persons in two-wheelers at Neermarga and Kulshekar and taken away their two-wheelers, cash, mobile phones, and ATM cards, in addition to threatening the victims.

“As many as 12 cases are registered against Deekshith at various police stations which include murder, attempt to murder, ganja and kidnap, seven cases against Chandrahas Poojary at multiple police stations including Mumbai, which include murder, attempt to murder, and illegal arms and sand smuggling, nine cases against Prajwal at various police stations including murder, attempt to murder, illegal arms, theft, assault and ganja and two cases of murder and attempt to murder against Santhosh Poojary at Surathkal police station.

“We have seized two-wheelers, mobile phones, and sharp weapons from their possession. The four accused are rowdy-sheeters under multiple police station limits. One of the accused, Chandrahas, was convicted in one of the cases in Mumbai and was in jail for 8 years. He was also caught red-handed in illegal sand smuggling case at Talapady, where the accused where watching police movements and passing information to others so that sand could be easily smuggled into other districts.

“The accused wanted to create their own crime syndicate in Mangaluru. The accused are also an aide of a gang. They had plotted the murder of one among the two members of a rival gang whose members are Pradeep Mendon and Manki Stand Vijay. They robbed the two-wheelers which could be used in crime activities. Since two months, they had watched Pradeep Mendon and Manki Stand Vijay’s movements and planned a complete sketch of their house to execute the murder.

“The gang was in touch with a person in Mumbai in order to procure firearms. They were also in touch with persons to smuggle ganja from Bijapur and Gulbarga,” he said.

DCPs Hariram Shankar and Vinay Goankar and ACP Ranjith were present.