18 March,2010 09:21 AM IST | | Imran Gowhar
Operation is state cops' biggest success since Shakeel sharp-shooter Rashid Malbari's arrest last year Members of the gang following their arrest
The Mangalore district crime branch struck gold when they stumbled upon a gang of 11 from the Chhota Shakeel gang when they went to arrest a local goon yesterday.
The DCIB police team arrested the associates of Chota Shakeel when they went on a search of Manjunath, a resident of Chikmagalur, in relation to the case of assault on Moosa Kunhi, a resident of Maddadka in Belthangady.
Tip-off
The DCIB team got a tip-off that the accused was living in a house near Dambel near Ashoka Nagar. The police team broke into the house in Dambel and found Manjunath with members of the Chhota Shakeel gang.
Investigations revealed that the gang hatched a plan to eliminate four aids of Ravi Poojary, gang rivals of the Dawood Ibrahim gang and shift base to Chikmagalur soon after the task.
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The police officials also recovered a pistol and three rounds of ammunition along with Rs 63,000. The police found Rs 2 lakh were sent for the task through Western Union by showing identity cards.
Sharp shooters
"The sharp shooters are Ganesh Shivarama Shetty (35), Rakesh Mishra, Manju alias Manjunath (21)", said Inspector General of Police Gopal B Hosur. He added that Ganesh Shivarama Shetty was involved in several crimes in Mumbai.
This is the second biggest arrest for the Mangalore police after Rashid Malbari, who was caught last year.
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Malbari, a sharp shooter and close aide of Shakeel, was in Mangalore planning to eliminate the Ravi Poojary gang members.
This clearly shows the attempt by the Chota Shakeel gang to establish supremacy in the Mangalore region.
Phones seized
"The gang has been taken into custody to determine whether they are involved in extortion activities.
The police have seized five mobile phones from the accused, which could give many leads for further investigations," Superintendent of Police DR AS Rao said.
He further said that the police have made Chota Shakeel the prime accused in the case under criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and arms act.
The other group members arrested are Sushil Kumar alias Monu (24), Lathish Nayak alias Latse (21), Aswin Anchan(25), Suresh Alban D'souza (38), Lohith Gatti(21), Praveen (30) and Sushanchandra (22).
