Fazil's murder case: 21 persons of interest detained for questioning

Mangaluru: Police claimed they have made significant progress in the investigation into the murder of Muhammad Fazil at Surathkal.

A total of 21 persons of interest have been detained and are being questioned, police said.

Meanwhile, ADGP Alok Kumar himself has been monitoring the investigation. Five teams have been formed to trace the culprits behind the gruesome murder. Hariram Shankar, who has served as the DCP in the district and now SP of Hassan, has also been called in for maintaining law and order situation.

Further, the investigation is proceeding in different dimensions. Police sources said, details are being collected to know whether anyone had a grudge against Fazil, was there any other motive, etc. The police have collected CCTV footage from all the relevant areas.  Mobile phone records are being triangulated to unearth clues, sources added.

Police are also probing whether there was any connection between the murder of BJYM member Praveen Nettaru and Fasil’s killing. ADGP Alok Kumar said that the investigation is at a preliminary stage and a decision cannot be reached yet.

The ADGP further said that they were investigating all cases seriously and the truth will come to the fore.

The investigation is intense
Law and order has not deteriorated in the state. We are investigating all cases seriously. The inquiry continues about those behind Praveen’s murder. He requested all the people to trust and cooperate with the government and the police.

Answering the question of whether this has anything to do with Praveen’s murder, he said that the investigation is at a preliminary stage and a decision cannot be reached already.

On the question of how many people have been taken into custody or arrested in the Suratkal murder case, the ADGP said that they were taking evidence based on vehicle numbers and CCTV. Detention and interrogation is part of the investigation. But he clarified that no one has been arrested so far.