Hipparagi XUV Blast Case Cracked, Four Arrested
Police are also searching for another accused who allegedly helped arrange the explosives
Bagalkot: Bagalkot district police have cracked the Hipparagi XUV blast case by arresting four persons. The attack was allegedly plotted over a land and financial dispute. Police are also searching for another accused who allegedly helped arrange the explosives.
Giving details about the arrests, Bagalkot SP Siddharth Goyal said that the arrested accused have been identified as Shivanand Parasappa Jali (29), Revanappa Ningappa Jali (24)- both from Tiganibidari village, Mahadev Beerappa Sangapur (21) of Hebballatti, and Mallikarjun Murageppa Bhadrapanavar (23) of Babaleshwar. Another accused, Gajanan Sangapur, a cousin of Shivanand, is absconding. Police suspect that he helped arrange the explosive materials.
The blast had occurred after the accused allegedly planted an explosive device near the XUV of Hanamant Athani at Hipparagi. The device exploded at around 10.45 pm on July 25, damaging the vehicle. Hanamant, the owner of a bar, who was the alleged target, escaped as he had not yet boarded the car at the time of the blast.
According to police, the case was the result of a dispute between Shivanand and Hanamant over money and agricultural land.
Shivanand's paternal uncle had reportedly borrowed Rs 40 lakh from Hanamant. Around four acres of agricultural land was kept as security. The loan allegedly grew to Rs 67 lakh. He had to pay the loan in three instalments. As he could not provide the money, the land was later sold to Hanamant in connection with the financial liability.
Assuring Hanamat of repaying the money instalments and retaining the land, Shivanand subsequently took possession of the land. However, he failed to arrange the money, police said.
Hanamant repeatedly demanded repayment and asked Shivanand and his family to vacate the land and house if the amount was not paid. Police suspect that the pressure over the money and the fear of losing the land prompted Shivanand to plan the attack.
Police said Shivanand had knowledge of blasting work through his cousin Gajanan, who was associated with well-blasting activities. Shivanand allegedly approached him and sought his help in arranging explosives.
The explosive materials were allegedly procured from two shops, one in Athani and another in Vijayapura. The owners-cum-managers of the shops have been secured for investigation.
On the night of the blast, Shivanand and Revanappa allegedly travelled to Hipparagi and kept watch on Hanamant, who was at his bar. They allegedly checked the CCTV cameras in the area and waited until the movement of people was reduced.
They then allegedly approached Hanamant's XUV through an adjoining field and secretly placed the explosive device near the vehicle without getting into the notice of anybody. After the blast, the two allegedly escaped on a motorcycle.
The next day, they learnt that Hanamant had survived. They then decided to threaten Hanamant and his brother Basavaraj to make them stop demanding repayment and pursuing the land dispute.
The accused allegedly purchased a keypad mobile phone using a false identity and arranged a SIM card after allegedly removing it from a CCTV camera near Telasang. Mahadev and Mallikarjun allegedly helped procure an old smartphone from a mobile shop in Athani.
On August 6, threatening messages were allegedly sent to Hanamant and Basavaraj through SMS and WhatsApp.
The police who were investigating the case got an important lead in the form of the messages. Investigators examined the mobile phones and technical data and analysed CCTV footage to trace the movements of the accused. They also followed the trail of the explosive materials and questioned persons connected with their procurement.
The land dispute, CCTV footage, mobile data, movements of the suspects and the explosive procurement trail were subsequently cross-checked, leading to the identification and arrest of the four accused.
Bagalkot SP Sidharth Goyal supervised the investigation, with Additional SP Jagadeesh and Jamkhandi DSP Zameer overseeing the probe.
CPI MD Maddi, PSIs GM Pujeri, Shivanand Singannavar, Nithinkumar and Appanna Aigali, SOCO officer Shridhar Magdum and other personnel were part of the investigation team.
