A District and Sessions court of Mangaluru convicted four Hindu and six Muslim youths in a communal murder case each reported in Bantwal and Ullal police station limits in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
The first Additional District and Sessions Judge H.S. Mallikarjuna Swamy convicted Vijeth Kumar, 22, Kiran Poojary, 24, Aneesh, 23, and Abhi, 24, in connection with the murder of Mohammed Nazir in Sajipa Munnuru in Bantwal taluk on August 6, 2015, night. The court found the four persons guilty of offences punishable under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code.
The Judge convicted Mohammed Asif, 23, Mohammed Suhail, 20, Abdul Mutalif, 20, Abdul Aswir, 19, Bashit Ali, 17, and Abdul Raneez, 17, for the murder of Rajesh Kotian, 44, on Kotepura Road in Ullal in the early hours of April 12, 2016. They have been held guilty of offences punishable under Sections 302, 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148, 153 A (promoting or attempt to promote disharmony) and 201 (destroying evidence) of IPC.
The Judge will be hearing on quantum of punishment in both these cases on Tuesday, April 16.
First murder case
According to the chargesheet filed by the then Bantwal Police Inspector K.U. Belliyappa, deceased Mohammed Nazir boarded the autorickshaw of Mohammed Mustafah at Melkar on August 6, 2015 night. The four accused persons came in two motorcycles and waylaid the autorickshaw at Kunduru in Sajeepamooda and assaulted Nazir and Mustafah using swords. Nazir succumbed in a private hospital at Falnir in Mangaluru on August 7, 2015. The assault was in retaliation to an attack by a group of Muslims on Vijet Kumar and Abhi in Kolandu village of Bantwal taluk on August 5, 2015.
Prosecutor Shekar Shetty adduced evidence from 29 witnesses and another prosecutor Judith O.M. Crasta presented the arguments.
Second case
According to the chargesheet filed by Ullal police, the six accused persons were waiting with clubs near a factory, off the Kotepura Road, to attack a Mogaveera. Around 2.30 a.m. on April 12, 2016, they attacked Kotian, who was walking towards Kotepura Jetty. As Kotian succumbed to the injury on the spot, the accused bludgeoned the face of Kotain with heavy stone and left the place.
Forensic expert Mahabalesh Shetty and his team did the autopsy. A DNA test was done to identify Kotian. The blood-stained clothes of the deceased and other samples were sent for test in the Forensic Science Laboratory. Based on the reports, the chargesheet was filed. Prosecutor Ms. Crasta examined 28 witnesses and placed arguments before the Judge.
