Mandya: Srirangapatna Police have arrested five persons in connection with the murder of Mohammed Shoaib, a second-hand car dealer from Udayagiri in Mysuru, said Mandya Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr. V.J. Shobha Rani.

Those arrested are Khaliq Ahmed, Syed Shoaib, Mohammed Saif, Masood Ahmed and Rihan Ahmed Khan, all residents of Udayagiri in Mysuru, the SP added.

Continuing, the SP said that following a complaint from deceased Mohammed Shoaib’s mother Sultana Begum, an investigation team, comprising Dy.SP Krishnakumar, Inspectors Kumar and Vinod, was formed to crack the murder, which took place near Nimishamba Temple in Ganjam, Srirangapatna taluk at about 8.30 pm on May 3.

Syed Shoaib, who had conspired to eliminate Mohammed Shoaib, had purchased lethal weapons a month ago. There were plans to attack and kill Mohammed Shoaib in Udayagiri itself on May 1 but Mohammed Shoaib did not come out of his house and hence the plan was postponed to May 2.

Syed Shoaib had purchased a new SIM Card and had called Mohammed Shoaib to an undisclosed place to talk about purchasing a second-hand car. Mohammed Shoaib was a second -hand car dealer.

The accused, who knew that Mohammed Shoaib would get doubts if they spoke in Urdu, spoke to him in Kannada and asked him to come near Nimishamba Temple at Ganjam.

But Mohammed Shoaib did not come on May 2 and when he came the next day (May 3) at about 8.30 pm, he (Mohammed Shoaib) was attacked by the group and brutally murdered in 20-30 metres radius of the Temple, the SP said.

Deceased Mohammed Shoaib had four cases including robbery cases registered against him at Udayagiri Police Station and one case each in Devaraja and Narasimharaja (NR) Police Stations, the SP said and added that investigation is underway to know if there were cases registered against the killers.

She clarified that no rowdy sheet had been opened against the deceased, Mohammed Shoaib. She added that efforts are underway to nab four more accused, and if additional names emerge during the investigation, those individuals will also be arrested.