In a brazen murder attempt, two persons were chased and then hacked by around five people in broad daylight at the busy K.S. Road Tuesday afternoon. While, the two persons are said to be out of danger, the attackers escaped.
The assaulters targeted K. Latif (37), a fisherman from Kalab near Ullal, and his friend Abdul Nazir (35), a vehicle salesman from Madoor near Ullal. Around 2.15 p.m., the two were returning from their court hearing – in connection with an attempt to murder in 2008 – when a group of unidentified persons attacked them with swords and knives. “We saw them near the court when we were going for the hearing, but when we came out of the complex on our moped, we saw three of them pick up swords from the side of the road,” said Mr. Nazir, who has been admitted in a hospital nearby.
The duo sped past the group and made their way down the Court House Road. Mr. Nazir narrates that two others were waiting near the entrance of St. Aloysius P.U. College, and tried to stop the vehicle. The moped fell by the side of the road, and they attempted to flee. The men pounced on Mr. Latif, and slashed at his shoulders and torso. Mr. Nazir suffered injuries after a fall while running away, but managed to hide in a nearby hotel.
After a crowd started to gather, the attackers escaped, while Mr. Latif had collapsed by the divider on K.S. Road. A surgery was conducted on him and his condition was described as stable by a doctor. . K Bava, Mr. Latif’s elder brother, said the attack was unanticipated. “We have had no trouble so far to give us an inkling of an attack,” he said.
Cases against them
Mangalore North Police said that the attack was related to the court hearing the duo attended. In 2004, the two had allegedly attempted to murder BJP leader Chandrashekar Uchil. Apart from this, they are named as accused in three other cases: a case of murder in Ullal in 2000; a murder case registered in Bajpe Police station in 2005 and a case of sale of marijuana.
The police said a few passers-by might have clicked photographs or captured the attack on video. C.M. Dastar, a watchman at the hospital, said the attack happened so quickly that by the time people rushed to help the victims, the attackers had fled.
