Kasargod, November 21: Six men were arrested by the Kasargod police on Friday November 20th in connection to the murder attempt on auto rickshaw driver. The police have confiscated a knife, two bikes, and two cars used for the crime.
The arrested are namely, Moidin Kunhi alias Mustafa (39) resident of Uliyathadka, Mohammed Arafat (25) resident of Chowki Kambar, Ismail alias Eachu (23) resident of Chowki Badar Nagar, Junaid (19) resident of Meepuguri, Rumaiz (23) resident of Kiyoor and a juvenile.
The accused have confessed that they threw another knife into Chandragiri lake. The clothes used during the crime have also been recovered.
It is said, seven persons are involved in the case and the mastermind Afraz is in Dubai. Arafat and Ismail were directly involved in the crime, and the others abetted the crime. Though the assault was done due to a old rivalry, the group also wanted to start riots with it, said the police.
On November 12th morning, the group had attempted to murder auto driver Sandeep, resident of Battampare, with deadly weapons near KSRTC bus stand. Sandeep is being treated at a hospital in Mangaluru.
Investigations have revealed that conspiracy for the attempted murder of auto driver Sandeep was hatched in the Gulf.
Afraz, an accused in the murder Jayachandran, of Kithikol resident which took place 19 years ago, is in Dubai, police said.
During interrogation, the arrested reportedly confessed that they had attempted to murder Sandeep on the orders of Afraz. It is said that a few days ago, there were heated arguments between auto drivers Arafat and Sandeep at Kotekani. Due to this enmity, Arafat’s friend Afraz later told him to eliminate Sandeep, it is learnt.
Sources said, Afraz had sent Rs 25,000 as an advance for the crime.
Police said, the seventeen-year-old juvenile involved in the crime is also an accused in six bike theft cases.
Ismail was a ganja peddler and was released from a Gulf prison after one year’s imprisonment, it is learnt.
