Mangaluru: Four acquitted in 2017 Kaliya Rafiq murder case

Mangaluru: The First Additional District and Sessions Court of Mangaluru has acquitted four individuals accused in the 2017 murder case of rowdy Kaliya Rafiq, which occurred in Ullal’s Kotekar.

The acquitted individuals are Noorali, Jiya alias Isubu Shiyad, Rashid, and Majeeb alias Kallatra Najeeb KA.

On February 2, 2017, Kaliya Rafiq and his friends were traveling in a car on the National Highway in Kotekar when a tipper truck deliberately rammed their vehicle.

Rafiq, who exited the car and ran toward a petrol station, was chased by the accused, who allegedly shot him with a pistol and then attacked him with a sword, resulting in his death.

A total of nine individuals were identified as accused in the case. Out of these, four have now been acquitted by the court. One accused has passed away, while another remains absconding. The remaining suspects are yet to be arrested.

The defense team, led by senior advocates Y. Vikram Hegde, Rajesh K.G., and Abdul Aziz Bayer, successfully argued for the acquittal of the four accused.