An attempt to shoot down a manager of realty company in Bejai on Monday has brought back the focus on the threats faced by builders from the underworld operatives.
An attempt was made on the life of John Patrick (not Fedrick as reported on Tuesday), a manager of Bharati Builders, Developers and Promoters by an assailant. He was lucky as the assailant’s gun malfunctioned and the bullet fell of the chamber while cocking.
Builders said they have been getting extortion calls from underworld operatives. A delegation of builders expressed their fears before Home Minister K.J. George during his recent visit to Mangalore. The builders aired their apprehension before Police Commissioner R. Hithendra in a meeting held two weeks ago.
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Among the incidents highlighted was an attempt to fire at builder Suresh Bhandary when he was sitting in his car after an evening walk at Kadri Park on August 8, 2011. Mr. Bhandary had reportedly told the police about threats from underworld operative Bannanje Raja. Police arrested eight persons allegedly associated with Bannanje Raja.
Though the police have made arrests in the case of bid on the life of industrialist Vijayendra Bhat near Barke police station on August 3, 2013, they are get evidence linking the accused to the underworld operatives. “We are closely monitoring the movements of the underworld operatives,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) K.V. Jagadish.
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The Ullal police are yet to find assailants who fired at the house of Keshav, a retired government employee, in Devinagar near Talapady on the Karnataka-Kerala border on July 10, 2013. In a case of mistake identity, the assailants allegedly associated with an underworld operative showed up at Keshav’s house. A few metres away in Kerala, a resident had reported extortion calls and threat to his life. The Kerala police are investigating the case.