Fake communal rioting tip boomerangs on police informant

Syed Asghar

Munawwar Pasha 

A police informant thought he could frame his rival by tipping the police but the trick boomeranged spectacularly.

Hennur police were alarmed when they received a tip-off from Fayazullah, a resident of Hegde Nagar, on Saturday. The tipster claimed that Mohammed Azeemuddin alias Babu, a history-sheeter from Saraipalya, and his associates had stocked up on petrol bombs and lethal weapons and were planning to commit rioting and attack their rivals.

Not taking any chances, the police registered a case, invoking the Arms Act and IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 118 (concealing design to commit an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life), and 143 and 149 (unlawful assembly). After a preliminary investigation, they detained Azeemuddin and three of his associates Mukkandar alias Mukku, Sikandar alias Sukku and Syed Hussain for questioning.

But the investigation reached a dead end soon as police couldn’t find any evidence that linked the four men to the alleged rioting plan. Police soon figured out that the tip-off was a ruse. It was an attempt to frame Azeemuddin and his men in a false case.

Police then picked up Fayazullah for questioning, and the plot unravelled soon after.

Old enemity

Fayazulla held a grudge against Azeemuddin even since the latter got him evicted from a house. The house belonged to Fayazullah, and he had sold it to someone. Fayazullah, however, wanted another Rs 10 lakh from the buyer.

The dispute reached Azeemuddin, and he supported the buyer. Not only that, he made sure that Fayazullah vacated the house, resulting in public humiliation for him.

Fayazullah vowed revenge and ganged up with Asghar and Pasha. They decided to frame Azeemuddin in a false case and came up with a plan. They fashioned petrol bombs from beer bottles and stockpiled them along with other weapons at a discreet place. Fayazullah had contacts in the police and regularly passed on information about irregularities. This time, he tipped off the police that Azeemuddin and his men were plotting riots in the city.

Police searched Fayazullah’s house and found a country-made pistol and a bullet. They also searched his accomplices, Munawwar Pasha and Syed Asghar. In all, police seized 10 petrol bombs, a pistol, a bullet, two longs and a machete from the trio. Fayazullah had sourced the pistol from Ghaziabad, police said.

Fayazullah himself has a criminal record.

According to police, he is involved in eight cases, including murder, and five cases under the Arms Act. Asghar was arrested in January this year for stealing the bust of Kannada matinee idol Dr Rajkumar from Lumbini Gardens, Hebbal.