Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Apr 15: “Six more persons have been arrested in connection to the series of thefts around Moodbidri, Mulky and Bajpe police station limits,” informed police commissioner N Shashi Kumar.
Addressing media here on Thursday April 15, he said, “Mohammed Zubair, Ibrahim Lateef, Rakesh, Arjun, Mohan, and Boliyaar Mansoor are the arrested. Earlier in this case, nine accused have already been arrested. This takes the total arrests to 15 in this case. The gang was involved in series of highway robberies, vehicle theft and burglaries.
“A total of 28 cases have been cracked so far which include seven cases in Mangaluru city, eight in Dakshina Kannada, two each in Hassan and Udupi, three in Chikkamagaluru, one case in Bengaluru rural, and five in Kodagu.
“Three cars worth Rs 37 lac, eight mobile phones worth Rs 32,000, 54 gram gold worth Rs 2,20,000 lac, 3.5 kg silver worth Rs 2,30,000 and two swords, totally worth Rs 41.82 lac were seized from their possession. The accused will be produced to the court and police custody will be urged.
“Nearly 25 cases have been registered against Zubair in different police stations, five against Lateef, Rakesh and Arjun, while Boliyaar Mansoor is a rowdy sheeter under Konaje police station limits.
“The arrested accused has cases in Uppinangady police station, Arehalli Hassan, Punjalkatte, Bengaluru Vijayanagara, Moodbidri, Bajpe, Sakleshpura, Virajpet, Venur, Bantwal, Bhagamandala, Kushalnagara, Udupi, Hariharapura, Chikkamagaluru, Banakal, Dharmasthala, Naapuklu and Kota police stations.
“The gang attempted theft at Axis Bank and broke into a house in Hassan where they stole a licensed weapon. The same weapon was used in the shootout at Falnir, as the accused Boliyaar Mansoor sold that weapon to Sameer, the accused in Falnir shootout incident.
“The gang used to travel to Goa, Chennai and way lay vehicles and involve in vehicle robbery and cash. There are 50 to 60 people in the gang. It is like a loose gang where they form a circle who are ready to commit crime. They take cars for rent and also file false car missing complaints. They had also developed internal network within jails. More arrests are likely to be made in the case, where more information may be revealed. There is also a long list of people who supported them financially, provided legal assistance, and associates who will be arrested soon,” he said.
The operation was carried out under the direction of police commissioner N Shashi Kumar, DCP Hariram Shankar and Vinay Goankar, led by ACP North sub division Mahesh Kumar, Moodbidri inspector Dinesh Kumar B S, sub-inspector Sandeep, constables Rajesh, Mohammed Hussain, Akhil Ahmed, Sujan, Santhosh, Basavaraj Patil, Yashwanth Kumar, Shivraj, Narasimha, Pradeep and Manoj Kumar from the computer section.
DCP Hariram Shankar, Vinay Goankar and ACP Ranjith were present.