The Bantwal police on Thursday night fired at a car and arrested three persons who were allegedly planning to steal cattle and rob roadside vehicles.
B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda, SP, identified the accused as Mohammed Muksim (23) of Surathkal, Mohammed Irshad (29) of Kuppepadavu and Saddam of Marpalla.
Mr. Gowda said the Belthangady police received information that a gang was moving around in a car in Belthangady area with rods and machetes, headed towards Guruvayanakere.
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The police at Guruvayanakere were alerted. When the police spotted the car, they indicated that it stop. But the driver sped away towards B.C. Road. It did not stop at check-posts at Punjalkatte and Madva villages.
A team, led by SIs Chandrashekar and Prasanna, placed a police vehicle on the road near Marihalla and waited for the vehicle. As the car approached, the police asked the driver to stop.
When he continued to drive towards the police personnel, Chandrashekar and Prasanna fired a bullet each at the car. This led the car driver to turn the vehicle towards Navoor. The driver lost control and it fell in a ditch. Of the five persons in the car, two escaped. The police arrested three.
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Mr. Gowda said Muksim was involved in 14 criminal cases in Dakshina Kannada. Saddam was involved in a murder and attempt to murder case. Efforts were on to trace the others, he said.
The police recovered two machetes, an iron rod, packets of chilli powder and few ‘monkey’ caps. They have been accused under IPC Sections 307, 353, 399 and 402.