Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Apr 6: Dayand Shetty from Noojettu Melmane in Ardi in Albady village in the taluk near Shankarnarayana, who had been thrashed by a gang of people for alleged cattle theft, breathed his last at Manipal ospital on Tuesday April 5 afternoon.

As a result, the assault case registered against Prashant Shetty, Nitish Poojary and others from Kumrubeedu in Shedimane village, who are said to be Bajrang Dal activists, has been modified into murder. Nine persons have been named in the complaint registered in Shankarnarayana police station. All the accused are at large.

Reportedly, Balakrishna Shetty, working as a commission agent for cattle trade, was tramsporting four heads of cattle in a pick up track along with Dayand Shetty, Jamad, Farooq, Khalandar, and Junaid from Moodbidri, on March 18, when the accused intercepted their vehicle. Jamad, Farooq, Khalandar and Junaid succeeded in running away to safety. Dayanand Shetty and Balakrishna Shetty were hit by wooden sticks by the assaulters. Both of them were admitted into a private hospital here with injuries.

The assaulters were arrested the same evening. The court had released them on bail. They reportedly are in hiding now. The policemen have been trying to find them out.