Bangalore police foil murder bid, arrest Ravi Pujari’s men

The city police on Sunday claimed to have foiled a plot to murder a businessman, with the arrest of two alleged associates of underworld fugitive Ravi Pujari.

Three others escaped arrest after threatening the police with a pistol on Saturday.

Ganesh Bangera alias Ganesh, 35, of Mangalore and Lokesh Kumar alias Lokesh, 30, of Bantwal were the two arrested. Yada Vasantha, Harish alias Cocaine Harish and Venu escaped.

A machete, knife, chilli powder, nylon rope and duct tapes were seized from the arrested duo, besides mobile phones and cash.
The police said that the crime branch team led by assistant commissioner of police BN Nyamagowda rushed to Naganathapur in Parappana Agrahara, after they were informed of the murder plan, and arrested the duo. Vasanta reportedly aimed a pistol at the police team, and escaped along with the other two men.

The arrested men reportedly told the police that a jailed criminal, Manish Raju Shetty alias Sarva Mitra, 35, of Koppa in Chikkamagalur, had plotted the murder of the businessman. The police refused to identify the businessman as it could hamper the investigation.

The accused persons were also in contact with Pujari, and two other criminals, Nikhil Shetty and Kali Yogesh, whose brother Ganesh has been arrested.