Dubai-based Kerala man hatched dacoity plot in Karnataka: Police

[email protected] (CD Network)
August 2, 2015

Kasaragod, Jul Aug 2: Police investigating into a decoity case in Karnataka have unearthed an international network of decoits. Nearly six months after a gang of dacoits robbed a Kerala-based merchant of his jeep along with a cash of Rs 6 lakh on the national highway near Bilikere in Hunsur taluk in the district, the Mysuru district police have succeeded in cracking the case.

gang
Interestingly, the case leads to the kingpin in?Dubai, who hired a gang of dacoits in Bengaluru to execute the task on February 9.

Disclosing this to media at his office auditorium on Saturday, Mysuru district Superintendent of Police Abhinav Khare said the three accused in the case — Umar, aged 31 years, Yasar?Araffat, 30 and Saifuddin, 28, all from Malappuram,?in Kerala — have been arrested. The kingpin is in Dubai, while three other accused are in?Bengaluru, he added.

Reacting to media queries, he said, “As the investigation is still underway, I cannot disclose the name of the kingpin. It was this man in Dubai, who got wind of huge cash being transported from Bengaluru to Kerala on that day, and handed over the job to a local gang in Bengaluru”.

Umar was the driver of the same jeep that was waylaid and lifted later, who actually leaked the information (of money in the vehicle) to the man in Dubai, the SP said.

On February 9, after midnight, Mohammed Shafiq a merchant, also from Malappuram, along with others, was returning to his native from Bengaluru, when the vehicle was waylaid in a filmy style.?A?goods tempo rammed into their vehicle from behind, while an?Innova car came across, only to force stop the jeep.

Much before Shafiq could understand what was happening, the gang of dacoits, suspected to be 10 members, broke the window glasses, sprayed chilli powder on the occupants and attacked them, before pulling them out of the jeep. They, later, made away with the four-wheeler, along with the cash and cellphones. So, Shafiq had lodged a complaint at Bilikere station.

A team, led by Assistant SP (Nanjangud sub-division)?A?Prakash Nikam, comprising Hunsur Circle Police Inspector M?Dharmendra, district crime investigation bureau (DCIB)?Inspector Gopalkrishna among others, was constituted.

Among the three arrested, two were informants, while the actual perpetrators, who carried out the operation remain to be arrested. An amount ot Rs 3.25 lakh has been recovered from them.

The SP said Shafiq could be a gold merchant who was carrying the amount after disposing the valuables in his possession, at Bengaluru. However, he has produced relevant documents, while the chances of more cash being carried at the time of the incident cannot be ruled out, he?said.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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News Network
December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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News Network
December 3,2025

arrival.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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