Bengaluru: Around 17 people were reportedly involved in the murder of Bajrang Dal member and anti-cow slaughter activist Prashant Poojary in Moodbidri on October 9. The Mangaluru police have launched a manhunt for eight more men, who are allegedly involved in the sensational murder case.
They have so far arrested nine accused, who are members of an organisation that claims to be socially committed to the cause of minorities and backward classes. The voluntary organisation has a strong presence in South India, especially Karnataka and Kerala.
“Besides these nine men, who have been arrested in the case, we are on the lookout for eight more people, including the regional leader of the organisation. He is the key conspirator behind Poojary’s murder. We know the identities of the absconders and will get them soon. They are from Karnataka,” an officer on condition of anonymity told this newspaper.
He said that the accused had meticulously planned Poojary’s murder after the earlier failed attempts at three other alleged “saffronists” in coastal Karnataka. The murder accused, who have been arrested so far include Rashid, Hanif, Mohammed Ilyas, Ibrahim, Sharief, Mustafa, Kabeer, Mustafa and Mohammed Imitiyaz Thangalkatte.
Poojary was a flower vendor and from his shop, which was strategically located opposite the Moodbidri bus stand, he used to keep an eye on cattle transport and movement, which had reportedly infuriated the accused, who planned to finish him off.
Don Poojary made call using VoIP
The threat call allegedly made by gangster Ravi Poojary to Minister for Youth Empowerment, Sports and Fisheries K. Abhaychandra Jain on October 25 in connection with the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Prashant Poojary in Moodbidri on October 9 was made using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP). “We are trying to find out the location of the call and the identity of the caller, though it is difficult,” said an officer. Mr Jain represents Moodbidri in the Assembly and has been under attack by some local BJP leaders for not paying a condolence visit to Poojary’s house after the incident
