The Karnataka Police on Wednesday released the portraits of the gunman who killed M.M. Kalburgi in Dharwad and his accomplice, sketched from the accounts given by the deceased scholar’s wife, Umadevi, and another person who had a glimpse of them.
Ms. Umadevi had a fleeting glimpse of the gunman after her husband, who was attending a call on his cellphone, opened the main door on hearing the doorbell ring and then went back inside. On hearing someone call “Sir, sir”, she came to the door to know who it was. After the assailant asked for “sir”, she alerted her husband and went inside. Within minutes, she heard the gunshots.
The Dharwad Police said Ms. Umadevi could not recollect the language spoken by the gunman.
Police sources said the gunman’s accomplice, waiting outside on a motorbike with its engine running, warned one of the labourers in the vicinity to back off as he tried to run to the house on hearing the gunshots. The labourer reportedly helped the police create the accomplice’s portrait.
Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Pandurang H. Rane hoped the portraits would help the police track down the suspects. Those who have information may call 9480 802034 or (0836) 223 3555.
Criminal Investigation Department officials camping in Dharwad have recovered CCTV footage of the two assailants from one of the road-facing cameras at Hiremaralur Ishwaran Science Pre-University College, a stone’s throw from Kalburgi’s house at Kalyan Nagar. The footage shows them escaping on the motorbike after shooting down the scholar.
However, the footage is not clear and officials are employing image-enhancement techniques to get a clear photograph of the assailants and read the registration number of the motorbike.
