Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Jun 22: Panic gripped the Deraje area of Sajipanadu village late night on June 20 after rumours of a sword attack spread on social media. However, police have clarified that no such weapon was involved and are now conducting a thorough investigation into the incident, which may be linked to an earlier attempt to murder case in the same locality.

According to reports, at around 10 pm, Mohammad Mukil was riding pillion on a scooter with a relative from Boliyar towards Melkar. Near the Deraje bus stop, two unknown men wearing helmets were spotted on another scooter. One of them suddenly ran towards Mukil’s scooter. Alarmed, Mukil asked his relative to speed away, and later narrated the incident to his father after reaching home in Nandavar.

Soon after, messages claiming a "sword attack" in Sajipanadu went viral on social media, leading to a large crowd gathering at the scene. However, while lodging a complaint with the Bantwal rural police, Mohammad Mukil clarified that the man who ran towards their scooter was not holding a sword or any other weapon. He also stated that the viral messages being circulated on WhatsApp about a sword attack had no connection to him or the incident.

The police have registered a case and launched an investigation. When the rural PSI visited the spot, locals expressed their frustration over previous incidents, including the recent seizure of cows being transported during Bakrid and inaction in a previous attempt to murder case.

Police sources said that the June 11 incident in Sajipamunnur — where Umar Farooq was allegedly attacked with a sword by scooter riders — is also under probe. However, discrepancies have emerged between the CCTV footage near the scene and the complainant’s version of events.

Given the seriousness of these cases and conflicting accounts, police have intensified their investigation to uncover the truth behind the incidents in Deraje and the surrounding areas.