Kotekar cooperative society robbery: Suspect assaulted three cops to flee; shot in the leg

Mangaluru: The police opened fire at one of the suspects, involved in the daylight robbery at Kotekar Vyavasaya Seva Sahakari Sangha Niyamitha (a cooperative society) branch at K C Road, who was trying to escape after attempting to stab Ullal police inspector Balakrishna during the spot inspection on Tuesday.

City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said the suspect Kannan Mani (36), a resident of Tilak Nagar near Chembur in Mumbai who attempted to flee, was shot in the leg and later shifted to a private hospital at Deralakatte for treatment.

He said CCB police constables Anjanappa and Nithin, who serve at Ullal police station, also suffered injuries.

The incident occurred when Mani attempted to escape during the spot inspection at 4.20 pm. Mani attacked Anjanappa and Nithin with a broken beer bottle found at the spot. He also pushed inspector Balakrishna, also the investigation officer, and attempted to stab him. He paid no heed to the cops’ warning. After firing a warning shot in the air, the CCB police inspector fired at Mani’s leg and took him into custody, the police commissioner explained.

A case has been registered at the Ullal police station in this regard.

Valuables, worth Rs 4 crore, were stolen by four unidentified men armed with lethal weapons from the cooperative society on January 17.

The city police were successful in arresting three persons belonging to a gang from Mumbai in connection with the robbery incident on January 20.

A representative of the cooperative society told a section of mediapersons that property worth Rs 15 crore of gold ornaments and Rs 11.70 lakh in cash were stolen by the four masked men during the robbery. The society has insurance for 19 crore. “We are confident of returning gold ornaments to the customers,” he said.

Assembly Speaker U T Khader and District in Charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao lauded the efforts of Mangaluru police in tracking the accused involved in the robbery at Kotekar Vyavasaya Seva Sahakari Sangha Niyamitha branch at KC Road.

Khader commended the swift action of the police department in arresting the accused involved in daylight robbery. He congratulated the police for their commendable effort. He said that the swift arrest of accused soon after the robbery had strengthened public trust and confidence in the police. Expressing gratitude, he added that similar progress is being expected in the Bantwal businessman’s robbery case.

Dinesh Gundu Rao said police will arrest the remaining accused in Kotekar cooperative society robbery. The Kotekar society robbery case posed a challenge to police. But police have proven their capability by solving the case. “I commend Mangaluru police for their highly skillful work in cracking the robbery case,” he stressed.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai urged the government initiate stringent action against those arrested in the bank case. The stringent case should deter others, he added.