Murder of ex-Gram Panchayat president: Ninth accused arrested
Udupi police have arrested a ninth suspect, Lokesh Tej Kottari, in connection with the murder of former Gram Panchayat president David D’Souza. The suspect allegedly provided motorcycles used by the assailants and tampered with their identification numbers.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing investigations into local political violence and the use of criminal networks in contract killings.
The Udupi police have arrested Lokesh Tej Kottari, 42, of Yedtare village in Byndoor taluk, on Friday, for his alleged involvement in the murder of former president of Mudarangadi gram panchayat David D’Souza in Udupi district on August 7.
With this, a total of nine persons have so far been arrested in this connection.
According to a press note, the Karkala and Padubidri police secured and produced Kottari before the Investigating Officer. The police said Kottari worked in Mumbai, where he became friends with Kishore Ram Poojary, who has been arrested for giving ‘supari’ to three assailants to murder David D’Souza.
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