The Belthangady police have arrested seven persons from Gadag for their alleged involvement in several cases of theft near the bathing area on the banks of the Nethravathi in Dharmastala.
Assistant Superintendent of Police M.N. Anucheth gave the names of the accused as Shrinivas (32), Moulanasab (35), Suresh Somareddy Kodaganti (28), Lakkawwa (45), Sharada (24), Tippawwa (35), and Kamala Parvati (65)
Mr. Anucheth told presspersons in Mangalore on Monday that the accused were allegedly involved in several thefts of bags and articles kept at the bathing area in Dharmastala. The accused used to divert attention of devotees and steal the articles. They also took away articles forgotten by the devotees in the bathing area. The police have recovered gold ornaments, cash, and the vehicle used by the accused, he said.
Superintendent of Police Abhishek Goyal said this was the second gang from Gadag to have been caught by the police. “So far we have not found any links between members of this gang and the earlier gang,” he said. The members of the two gangs had been stealing in the guise of devotees. Patrolling by police near the bathing area helped in catching the seven accused, he said.
Murder
The Belthangady police have arrested Umesh Poojari (37) from Amdinje village in Belthangady for allegedly pushing his sister-in-law Savita into a well on September 6. The death of Savita was initially registered as a case of unnatural death on the basis of the complaint by her mother Susheela.
Poojari’s wife Sharada, who is the second daughter of Susheela, suspected involvement of her husband in her sister’s death and filed a complaint, Mr. Goyal said.
