Mangalore, 02 Jul 2014: With the arrest of three persons by Bajpe police on Wednesday, police solved nine cases of cattle thefts at one shot.
The accused are: Ummer Farooq, Nissar and Mohammed Ashfaq alias Badavara Bandhu. Five more persons involved in this crime are absconding. They have been identified as Dawood, Munna, Azhar, Gante Riyaz and Kabeer from Bengre.
Police made this breakthrough while investigating a case of cattle theft at Kilenjaru Village, where four cattle heads were stolen on the night of June 18. Police, on a tip off, took Ummer Farooq into custody on Tuesday and he spilled the beans about his two associates who were involved in the cattle theft.
The accused have confessed to have stolen cattle from Bajpe police station limits, Karkala, Venoor, Uppinangady, Belthangady, Puttur, Sullia, Bantwal and at Mucchur, which had seen large scale protests after series of cattle thefts. In Bajpe station limits alone, the accused had stolen 10 cattle heads in three cases. Police have seized two Tata Sumos and an Alto car from the accused.
Police said the prime accused in this case are Ummer Farqqo, who has been arrested and Dawood, who is still at large.
The accused used to carry lethal weapons in their vehicles to thwart any bid by the owners preventing them stealing the cattle. The accused have been produced before the court.