Bengaluru
Mangaluru Police on Monday arrested three people in connection with the murder of a man in Karnataka’s Surathkal on December 24, police said without clarifying the motive for the crime, even as prohibitory orders continued to maintain communal peace in the sensitive region.
Abdul Jaleel (43) was hacked to death in front of his shop in Surathkal, triggering protests in the communally sensitive region. Later that day, the authorities imposed Section 144 in the area for 48 hours to prevent any untoward incident.
Mangaluru commissioner of police, N Shashi Kumar, said of the three arrested, two are the assailants and another one dropped them on his bike. “The information about the accused cannot be disclosed until their identity is ascertained. They were taken into custody last night and further investigation is underway,” he said.
The police have identified the accused as Savin Kanchan (24), Shailesh Pujari alias Shailu (21) and Pachu alias Pawan (23). “A thorough inquiry will reveal the motive behind the murder,” he added.
The accused were produced before a local court later on Monday, and were remanded in policy custody
{{/usCountry}}The accused were produced before a local court later on Monday, and were remanded in policy custody
{{/usCountry}}Two of the accused, Kanchan and Pujari have a criminal background and were earlier arrested in connection with an attempted murder case in Surathkal in 2021.
On Saturday night, two miscreants attacked Jaleel at his shop and stabbed him before fleeing the spot. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead during treatment, the police had said on Sunday.
“Jaleel owned a fancy store at Katipalla in Surathkal. He is a resident of Kulooru which is under the Kavoor police station limits. According to eyewitnesses, at around 8-8:30 pm on Saturday, miscreants attacked him and stabbed him with a knife at his shop,” he had said.
Later, the police clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Cr.P.C in Surathkal and adjoining areas from 6 am on December 25 to 6 am on December 27.
Section 144 prohibits gathering of four or more people in the concerned area.
Meanwhile, the situation remained peaceful in the sensitive region with prohibitory orders still in place on Monday. Congress leaders K Rahman Khan and Saleem Ahmed, along with leaders of Muslim organisations in the district, visited the victim’s family and held prayers. The leaders also urged the state government to take strict action against the accused and provide ₹25 lakh compensation to the family of the victim.
On Sunday, irate local residents in Surathkal stopped the ambulance carrying Jaleel’s body, and refused to let it proceed till the culprits were arrested.
“He was a very innocent person. We will not agree to take the body if the real culprits are not arrested. They are saying that they have found some clue since yesterday. But till now they have not proven anything. We want the culprit to be arrested right now. We will not take the body till this happens,” Jaleel’s brother said.
Shashi Kumar, who reached the spot after getting information about the protest, assured them of stringent and quick action. “Firstly, such a death, whether it is accident, suicide or murder, should not have occurred...It is our duty to arrest the real culprits in the murder,” he told the protesters.
The funeral procession was later allowed to proceed.
On Sunday, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to the people to maintain peace in Mangaluru and assured necessary action into the matter. “The probe is in progress. The police will take necessary action on it,” he said.