What was initially assumed to be murder borne out of vengeance in Hubballi has now turned out to be case of a supari killing and the Hubballi Town Police have arrested five more persons, apart from the one already arrested, on the charge of murder.
In a press release issued here on Tuesday night, Police Commissioner Labhu Ram has said that the Hubballi Town Police, led by Inspector M.S. Patil, Sub Inspector B.N. Satannavar and staff, had solved the murder of Ramesh Bhandagi, a former history-sheeter-turned-social worker.
According to the release, it is a supari killing over a land deal dispute.
The Police Commissioner has given the names of the arrested as Rafiq Anwarsab Jawari, 40, Vaseem Kwajasab Bankapur, 29, both of Sadarsofa, Hubballi; Shivaji Devendrappa Mishal, 60, of Janglipet; Fayaz Ahmed Jaffersab Pallan, 34, of Mayur Nagar, Old Hubballi, and Touseef Mohammed Isaq Naragund, 33, of Mahaveer Nagar, Gadag.
All these five accused were arrested on Tuesday and the other accused, Izaz Ahmed Bankapur, was arrested on November 26, a day after he killed Ramesh Bhandage in daylight.
The supari killing came to light after the police took Izaz Ahmed into custody for further interrogation and further verified it with call details and other information provided by the first accused.
According to the release, Rafiq and Shivaji had a dispute with Mr. Bhandage in connection with a land in Gabbur village on the outskirts of Hubballi. They allegedly got Izaz Ahmed, his brother Vaseem and his friends to plan the murder of Mr. Bhandage in return for a ‘supari’ of ₹25 lakhs.
The police have recovered ₹6.10 lakh from the accused, two two-wheelers, and five mobile phones used in the crime.
The Police Commissioner has announced a cash prize to the team that has solved the case.
