3 arrested for shooting at Sri Ram Sene leader at Belagavi

PTI, Jan 8, 2023, 7:54 PM IST

Representative Image (Source: iStock)

Belagavi: Police on Sunday said they have arrested three persons in connection with alleged firing, using a pistol, at Sri Rama Sene’s Belagavi President Ravi Kokitkar near here.

Kokitkar and a person driving his car had suffered injuries after being shot at by three assailants using a pistol at Hindalga village near here on Saturday night.

Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik had denounced the incident stating that the Sene’s workers stand for Hindutva and would not be intimidated by such attacks.

Speaking to reporters, Belagavi Police Commissioner M B Boralingaiah said, police have arrested three persons -Abhijit Bhatkhande, Rahul Kodachwad and Jyotiba Mutagekar- in connection with the incident and the trio have accepted their crime.

The police have seized a firearm which was used in a shooting incident, he said, Abhijit had fired a round and the firearm used did not have a licence.

As per preliminary investigation, both the accused and victim had some real estate issue between them, the Commissioner further said and added in 2020 a case was filed by Abhijit at Shahapur police station accusing Kokitkar of attempting to murder on him. ”Detailed investigations were in progress.” Earlier in the day police had said, the incident happened around 7.30 pm on Saturday when Kokitkar along with Manoj Desurkar, who was driving the car and two others were travelling in his car to Hindalga from Belagavi city.

When the car slowed down near the speed-breaker, three persons on a motorbike came near the vehicle and one of them fired at Kokitkar, and sped away, police said, adding that it is not clear whether the assailants were following them or were waiting at the spot.

The bullet brushed the chin of Kokitkar injuring him, and the person driving the car driver too sustained injuries as the bullet hit his hand.

Both have been admitted to a private hospital for treatment, and are out of danger, police said.

Muthalik had said the outfit and its workers, who stand for Hindutva, will not fear such bullets or weapons.

He had urged the police to catch hold of the assailants and punish them, pointing out that CCTV footage will be available as the incident occurred near Hindalga prison.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, earlier in the day speaking to reporters in Haveri had said that instructions have been given to the police officers to take the incident seriously and to immediately nab the culprits. Violence is not the solution to any differences of opinion, he had said, adding that the administration will bear the medical expenses of the victim as well as arrest the culprits soon.