Karnataka   

Arrests made in NHAI robbery case

Chitradurga: Within just 10 days, the Chitradurga police claimed to have made a breakthrough in the case relating to the looting of money belonging to the National Highways Authority of India. The incident occurred on National Highway 13 near Imangala village, 20 km from Chitradurga city on August 4.

Some persons had robbed Rs. 21 lakh in toll collections near the village after blinding the security guard and officials of the department with chilli powder while they were on their way to deposit the money in a bank in the city. “We have arrested nine of the 10 accused,” said Superintendent of Police Labhu Ram.

Addressing presspersons here on Friday, he said that of the Rs. 21 lakh, the police had recovered around Rs. 18 lakh.

He said 10 persons were involved in the robbery, while one of them was still absconding. He identified the arrested as Manjunath (23), G. Prakash (24), Lakshman (22), Appu Yane (19), Lakshman Londe (22), Macchendranath (19), Basavaraj Shivappa (28), Suresh (18) and Allabaksh (21). Except for G. Prakash, who is from Chitradurga, the rest of them are from Bijapur district. “Basavaraj, the one who is absconding, is also from Bijapur,” Mr. Labhu Ram said.

The official said the police had got important clues while interrogating the accused, and after checking the driver’s mobile phone through which several calls were made.

“While interrogating Manjunath, the driver of the car who is from Bijapur, the police found that he had made several calls to some people back in Bijapur.

After being ‘informed’ of various things, the group planned to strike, for which they hired a sports utility vehicle. The police have seized the vehicle,” Mr. Labhu Ram said. The driver had already been remanded in judicial custody. The rest of them were taken in on Friday, he added.

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