Mangaluru: Police have arrested three people, including an absconding accused and a habitual offender with 30 cases against him, in connection with a robbery reported near Tannirbhavi Beach earlier this month.According to the complaint filed by Ajay K, 29, a resident of Somwarpet in Madikeri, he came to Tannirbhavi Beach with his friends Ramesh and Rafiq to celebrate his birthday on April 13. At 2.30am, after losing their way and heading towards Kasaba Bengre, they noticed two youths walking along the roadside. When Ajay stopped the car to ask for directions, the two men offered to guide them and got into the back seat of the vehicle. After driving a short distance, the accused allegedly asked Ajay to stop the car and then threatened the trio with a screwdriver. They damaged the car’s front windscreen and robbed them of valuables, including a watch valued at Rs 9,000, another watch worth Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 in cash, a camera gimbal worth Rs 8,000, a power bank worth Rs 2,000 and a bracelet worth Rs 500, totalling around Rs 24,500. The damage to the car’s windscreen caused an additional loss of about Rs 8,000, taking the total loss to Rs 32,500. Police said another accomplice arrived on a motorcycle, collected the stolen items from the two accused and fled the scene with them. A case was registered at Panambur police station under Sections 309(4) and 324(1) of the BNS, along with Section 2(a) of the KPDLP Act. Under the guidance of senior officers, Panambur police inspector Saleem Abbas, along with PSIs Sreekala KT, Gnanasekhar and other staff, conducted an operation and on April 13 arrested two accused, Mohammed Sinan, 24, and Zaheer Nisar, 22, both residents of Kasaba Bengre. The third accused, Chandu Haris, 33, also from Kasaba Bengre, was arrested on Wednesday. Police recovered the stolen items, and the screwdriver and the motorcycle used in the crime. Police revealed that Haris is a habitual offender with more than 30 cases registered against him. A rowdy sheet has already been opened against him at Panambur Police Station, and three non-bailable warrants are pending against him in court.
