BENGALURU: A gang of six robbers, who were arrested by the Kengeri police on charges of preparation for dacoity, confessed to a murder they had committed six years ago. The accused have been identified as Anil Kumar, 32, of Sandur taluk in Ballari, Santosh Naik, 25, M. Rajappa, 26, both hailing from Harapanahalli taluk of Davanagere, Manjunath alias TT Manja, 26, of Alur in Hassan, Kantharaj, 22, of Gubbi in Tumakuru and Umesh, 22, of Hospet in Ballari.
According to the police, the six member gang was allegedly preparing to commit dacoity and based on a tip off the police had arrested them on September 4. When they were questioned, it was revealed that accused Anil, Santosh and Rajappa had committed a murder in 2010. They confessed that they had kidnapped Anil’s friend, identified as Anjani, from Sandur police station limits and taken him to Hulibetta at Gajaapura forest area in Kudligi taluk. The trio allegedly picked up a quarrel with him over a financial dispute and murdered him.
They buried the body in the forest. A missing person’s complaint was registered in Sandur police station in this connection but the case was left untraced. “Also, Anil along with Manjunath, Kantharaju and Umesh had hired a cab from Karwar Town police station limits and had later kidnapped the driver Rajesh Shantharam Naik. They had demanded ransom from his wife and had later abandoned him at an isolated place and escaped in the car. The gang was also involved in temple thefts in Hospet and Chitradurga,” the police added.
The robbed car, stolen cash and mobile phones, total worth Rs 8.5 lakh have been recovered from the arrested persons. The accused were also arrested for six times in the past by Upparpet, Magadi Road, Harapanahalli, Sandur, Chikkajajur and Hiriyur police in connection with robbery and theft cases, the police said.
