Mangalore, June 21:The DCIB team of Daxina Kannada district has foiled an attempt to abduct a city advocate for ransom by arresting a nine-member gang working for the well-known underworld gangster Koraga Vishwanath Shetty at Karangalpady in the heart of the city.
Addressing a press conference here today, IGP (western Range) Gopal B Hosur said by nabbing the gang yesterday, the DCIB team had prevented a major crime which would have sent shock waves among the legal fraternity. The team had also recovered a nine mm pistol, ten live rounds of bullet, a bike, a car, an autorickshaw, eight mobile phones and several sharp weapons, he added. He said the Mangalore East Police Station had received a complaint from an advocate in the city yesterday, stating that a group of three persons came to his office on a bike at Bunts Hostel and threatened him at gun point to give him extortion money.
Otherwise, he would be kidnapped the same evening and even murdered if their demands were not met. Immediately, a team was formed under Police Inspector DCIB Venkatesh Prasanna. The team started collecting information on gangs in the city and zeroed in on gang working for Koraga Vishwanath Shetty. On definite information, the DCIB team intercepted a car at Karangalapadi and arrested five people who were travelling in the car.
Mr Hosur said on interrogation, the arrested immediately confessed that they were proceeding towards the office of the advocate to abduct him to a secret location in Kambalapadavu near Konaje on the outskirt of the city. The arrested were identified as Anish Shetty, Harisha alias Cocaine Harish, Deekshith Poojary, Deepak Poojari and Aneesh Leepak Lasrado.
On interrogation, they revealed that they were carrying out this operation on instructions of Koraga Vishwanath Shetty, who stayed abroad in a Gulf country. The team immediately proceeded to the location and arrested three others identified as Ajay Karera, Ganesh, Nawaz and Lokesh Devadiga.
The accused would be produced before the Magistrate, seeking police custody for further interrogation.
Efforts were on to nab Koraga Vishwanath Shetty, Mr Hosur added.
—Agencies