The Mangalore police on Friday announced the arrest of six persons,including three with underworld connections,for the April 9 murder of Naushad Kasim,the advocate of D-company hitman Rashid Malabari. The police,however,failed to provide a strong motive for the murder.
8220;There is some indication that the killing is connected to the defence of persons accused in recent terrorism cases. But we don8217;t know for sure yet,8221; Superintendent of Police for Dakshina Kannada Subramanyeshwar Rao said.
Kasim was shot in the leg and bludgeoned to death with the butt of a gun outside his home on April 9. Malabari,a sharpshooter linked to don Chhota Shakeel,was arrested for a pre-poll conspiracy to kill political leaders including BJP candidate from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi and right wing Hindutva leader Pramod Muthalik.
Following Kasim8217;s killing,a former Chhota Rajan associate,Ravi Pujari,reportedly called a media office in Bangalore to claim responsibility.
Kasim8217;s senior advocate Purushottam Poojary,however,accused the Mangalore police of carrying out the killing of the 35-year-old lawyer for defending Malabari. The police claim to have seized three 9mm pistols,eight rounds of ammunition,Rs 3.5 lakh in cash and a car that was allegedly used for the commission of the offence.