Madikeri: Kodagu District Police arrested three persons yesterday in connection with the murder of a youth during Vijayadashami procession in Madikeri recently. Police have identified the suspects as Abdul Roshan Rehman alias Roshan, 32, M.Z. Mohammad Rashid alias Rashid, 34 and Nazir alias Najju, 28.

The main accused Roshan allegedly stabbed Chandrashekar, the victim, and the two other accused helped him. Roshan told the Police he took revenge as the victim had earlier scolded his mother. All of the accused were friends of Chandrashekhar who had been procuring ganja (marijuana) from Mysuru and other locations and supplying it to them regularly for several years, said Kodagu SP Rajendra Prasad.

Roshan is a resident of Ganapathi Street and is a mobile technician by profession while Rashid, a resident of Mahadevpet, is a car driver. Nazir is a resident of Ranipet and is an autorickshaw driver.

Roshan was wanted in connection with several other crimes as well. He was subjected to punishment in Dubai for driving a vehicle without a valid license. He had also been involved in the theft of Rs. 33 lakh while working as a car driver for a former Principal of a College in Madikeri.

On the night of the incident, all the accused smoked ganja and were drunk. The incident occurred opposite Sri Kannika Parameshwari Temple, Mahadevpet, during the wee hours of the Dasara Festival.

The SP said that Chandrashekhar and the three accused were friends. The suspects had consumed ganja which was supplied to them by Chandrashekhar. They used to have heated exchanges between themselves. During one such fight near Kaveri Bakery, Chandrashekhar is said to have used abusive language which enraged them following which Rashid and Imran assaulted Chandrashekhar.

A Madikeri City Municipal Council Member intervened and stopped the fight, the SP said. The accused later hatched a plot to murder Chandrashekhar on the day of Dasara procession. They killed Chandrashekhar near Kannika Parameshwari Temple at 2 am.

Meanwhile, hundreds of activists belonging to various Hindu organisations protested in Madikeri yesterday by forming a human chain and demanded a high-level probe into the murder.

VHP District Unit General Secretary Narasimha alleged that Hindu activists are facing a threat from a few communal elements.

BJP District Committee General Secretary Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa said that the cases of attacks on Hindu activists have been on the rise. “There are reports that the ganja mafia is responsible for the murders. Police need to track the culprits,” he said.

The Police have, however, clarified that the suspects were not part of any organisation. Seven people were subjected to investigation in connection with the case. After the murder, Roshan fled to Hassan and shaved his head to hide his identity. He was arrested from Kushalnagar bus stand.