Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Apr 5: Mangaluru city police have identified the conspirators and assailants involved in the brutal murder of a former rowdy-sheeter on the Thokkottu flyover. While the entire network has been traced, no arrests have been made as the accused remain on the run.
The victim, Arif Hussain, also known as 'Tablet' Arif (47), was found dead beside his motorcycle on the flyover in the early hours of March 27. Hussain, a resident of Talapady in Ullal taluk, had left his home around 3:30 am for the Mangaluru dock where he worked in the fish business.
Although the scene initially appeared to be a road accident, investigations confirmed that it was a premeditated murder. A gang of six assailants reportedly knocked down his motorcycle on a stretch of the flyover lacking CCTV coverage before hacking him to death with sharp weapons. A Kerala-registered Toyota Innova, suspected to have been used to stage the accident, was found abandoned later that day within the Vittal police station limits.
"We have identified the entire network and all the assailants involved in the crime. They belong to the same community as the victim," a senior police officer stated. The officer added that the murder appears to be a result of personal rivalry and that the accused are being closely tracked despite their continuous movement to evade arrest.
Apart from the direct assailants, police have also identified individuals involved in the conspiracy. Following the murder, Hussain’s teenage son had filed a complaint naming his father’s rival, Rifath Ali, as a key suspect.
Hussain had a criminal record spanning two decades with nine cases registered against him and was previously a listed rowdy-sheeter in Mangaluru. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact motive behind the hit.