Nanjangud: Nanjangud Police have busted a racket of a notorious killer, who is serving jail term of dealing in arms from the jail and have seized a pistol with 12 rounds of live bullets besides arresting three persons in this regard.

The convict who is serving life imprisonment at Mysuru Central Jail in connection with two murders and dealing in weapons from the jail itself has been identified as Afsar, a native of Nanjangud.

The arrested persons have been identified as Dhanraj alias Dhanraj Bola, a resident of Shankarapura, Sadiq Khan of Neelakanta Nagar and Shahensha, all residents of Nanjangud. The three were allegedly helping Afsar in dealing weapons. Dhanraj is said to be a rowdy-sheeter.

Dhanraj, Sadiq and Shahensha were arrested by Nanjangud Police on Feb. 15 and had seized a pistol along with 12 live bullets from them. During interrogations, the Police were shocked to learn that convict Afsar was dealing in weapons from the jail, following which the Nanjangud Police took Afsar into their custody for questioning. All the four accused are now housed in Mysuru Central jail.

How they were caught: On Dec. 15, 2017 at about 1.30 pm, Inspector Gopalakrishna received a call from an unknown person who said that three persons were sitting in a vacant site behind a church on Nanjangud-Gundlupet Main road in a suspicious manner.

Inspector Gopalakrishna who suspected something fishy instructed Satish, Abdul Lathif, Krishna and Mahesh from the Crime Division to inspect the spot. The team proceeded in the Police Jeep (KA-55-G-273) to the spot. When the three persons sitting in the empty site saw the cops, began to flee from the spot, only to be surrounded by the Police, who took them into custody.

During the inspection, the Police found a pistol and 12 live bullets in the bike (KA-09-HF-0203) belonging to Dhanraj following which they arrested all of them and produced them before Inspector Gopalakrishna who interrogated them during which the weapons dealing racket came to light. Afsar and Dhanraj link: During interrogation, the Police came to know that Dhanraj’s uncle Basavanna who is in Mysuru jail in connection with a murder was being visited by Dhanraj frequently during which he (Dhanraj) met Afsar.

About eight months ago, Afsar had told Dhanraj that he (Afsar) would give him a pistol and about five months ago Afsar is said to have given a mobile phone number to Dhanraj, asking him to contact the number. Dhanraj then called the number and an unidentified person who spoke on the other end, asked Dhanraj to come near the Mandi Mohalla board near Mission Hospital.

When Dhanraj reached the place, an unidentified person who came to him took Rs. 60,000 and handed over a sweet box with a pistol and 12 live bullets in it and left the spot. Dhanraj is said to have revealed to the Police that he along with Sadiq and Shahensha were planning to waylay those carrying cash during election and rob them. It is learnt that the Police are also collecting information from Afsar regarding weapons he had sold and to whom.

Pistol from Uttar Pradesh

The Mysuru Police had arrested a person from Uttar Pradesh (UP) in connection with a case and had sent him to jail during which Afsar came across the person and helped him financially to secure bail and go out of the jail.

It is learnt that the UP person after coming out of jail went to his native and brought a pistol from there. He later began to meet Afsar frequently. Afsar, who used to summon the customers to the jail, gave them the mobile phone number of the UP person. When the customers used to call the mobile number, the UP person used to call them to deserted places in city and gave them the weapons after receiving cash, a part of which he used to give to Afsar in jail. It is learnt that the UP person on instructions from Afsar had sold pistols to many persons in Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts. The Police are now in the process of arresting the persons and seize the weapons.