The number of arrests in connection with the case of moral policing and gang rape in Hangal has risen to twelve with the arrest of one more person on Saturday.
While the police had arrested Samiullah Lalanavar, 24, a resident of Akki Alur in Belagavi on Friday, another accused identified as Ismail Hubballi, 27, a vegetable vendor from Akki Alur was arrested on Saturday..
According to Additional Superintendent of Police of Haveri C. Gopal, seven persons involved in gang rape and five others involved in assault and other offences have been arrested.
The other arrested are garage worker Aftab Chadanakatti, 24, trader Madarsabh Mandakki, 24, autorickshaw driver Abdul Khadar Jaffarsab Hanchinamani, 28, milk trader Imran Basheer Ahmed Jekinakatti, 24, garage worker Rehan Mohammed Hussein Walikar, 19, vendor Sadiq Babusab Agasimani, 29, hotel labourer Shoyab Niyaz Ahmed Mulla, 19, Mafeed Onikeri, 23, fish merchant Ibrahim Khader Ghouse, 27, and cab driver Tousif Ahmed alias Katla, 25.
Another accused in the case Mohammed Saif Savikeri, who is grievously injured in an accident is undergoing treatment at KIMS hospital in Hubballi and will be arrested after completion of his treatment.
Addressing presspersons in Haveri on Saturday, Superintendent of Police Anshu Kumar Srivastava said that the investigation was on the right track and the team led by Additional SP was searching for the other suspects who were involved either directly or indirectly in the gang rape case.
Based on the clues from CCTV footage, searches had continued and the team had traced and nabbed the accused from Hyderabad, Belagavi, Goa and Akki Alur, he said.
The SP said that they would file a chargesheet before the court within two months and would also seek that a Special Bench hear the gang rape case so as to enable the victim to get speedy justice.
