The Gadag Police have arrested a serial rapist and two of his associates, including a woman, and recovered gold ornaments worth Rs. 19 lakh from them.
The rapist, identified as Fakeerappa Kadanavar of Kalival village in Haveri district, allegedly raped his victims after robbing them of their valuables.
His two associates have been identified as Basavaraj Gadigennavar of the same village and Mahadevi of Ramenahalli in Mundargi taluk.
The police have also confiscated 31 mobile phone handsets and two motorcycles from them.
Superintendent of Police of Gadag Santhosh Babu K. told presspersons that the arrest was made based on a tip-off. Fakeerappa Kadanavar was wanted in a rape and robbery case registered by Gadag Police on December 31, 2015, he said.
The accused had raped a woman of Binkadkatti village in Gadag Rural police station limits and robbed her of gold jewellery and a mobile phone. He said that Fakeerappa was also wanted in two rape and five robbery cases.
The police said that he could be involved in 14 rape cases but they could not confirm it yet.
Meanwhile, another police officer said that the accused admitted that his targets were working women.
