Prime suspect in SDPI worker's murder held

The police on Monday arrested one of the prime suspects in the murder of autorickshaw driver and SDPI activist Mohammed Ashraf Kalayi.

Dakshina Kannada SP C H Sudheer Kumar Reddy gave the name of the arrested as Divyaraj Shetty. Bharath and Divyaraj Shetty had conspired the murder of Ashraf. The police on June 24 had arrested five persons in connection with the murder.

Reddy said that the police are on the lookout for other suspects. Bharath has been absconding since the day of the incident. Sources said that there are 14 cases against Bharath, who was arrested eight times in the past.

Ashraf was murdered on June 21 near Benjanapadavu. The arrested have revealed that the Ashraf was murdered to avenge the killing of Rajesh Poojary in 2014, said the sources.