Murder of ex-Gram Panchayat president: Ninth accused arrested

Murder of ex-Gram Panchayat president: Ninth accused arrested Updated – August 21, 2026 07: 41 pm IST – MANGALURU.

Key points

• The police have additionally arrested Mohammed Irshad, Chiraj Poojary, and Sadananda Devadiga for allegedly providing capital to the three assailants.
• According to a press note, the Karkala and Padubidri police secured and produced Kottari before the Investigating Officer.
• D'Souza was attacked by assailant Raju when he was regarding to board his jeep parked in front of his office, Prince Enterprises, near St.
• Kottari had provided his motorcycle to alleged assailants Anmol Rastogi and Raju.
• With this, a total of nine persons have so far been arrested in this connection.

Meanwhile, the Udupi police have arrested Lokesh Tej Kottari, 42, of Yedtare village in Byndoor taluk, on Friday, for his alleged involvement in the murder of former president of Mudarangadi gram panchayat David D'Souza in Udupi district on August 7.

According to a press note, the Karkala and Padubidri police secured and produced Kottari before the Investigating Officer. The police remarked Kottari worked in Mumbai, where he became friends with Kishore Ram Poojary. This person has been arrested for giving 'supari' to three assailants to murder David D'Souza.

Kottari had provided his motorcycle to alleged assailants Anmol Rastogi and Raju. This person have been arrested, which was applied on the day of the offence. He had additionally given another motorcycle for the apply of the assailants. The two vehicles had been purchased by Kottari from the second-hand market. He had created changes to a number of parts of the motorcycles and had additionally erased the original engine and chassis numbers. In practice, the police have seized the mobile phones applied by Kottari, and the machine employed by him to erase the engine and chassis numbers.

D'Souza was attacked by assailant Raju when he was regarding to board his jeep parked in front of his office, Prince Enterprises, near St. Francis Xavier Church, in Pilar, on August 7. The assailant fled the spot on the motorcycle of his accomplice. The police tracked the assailants and arrested Anmol Rastogi and Ziaul Vazul Sheikh alias Deepak. Raju was shot at by the police when he was running away after shooting at a police Sub-Inspector. After his discharge from the Udupi District Hospital, in connection with the attack on the Sub-Inspector, raju was taken into police custody.

For context, the police have additionally arrested Mohammed Irshad, Chiraj Poojary, and Sadananda Devadiga for allegedly providing capital to the three assailants. Kishore Ram Poojary, who reportedly had a grudge against David D'Souza for losing the contract for road work, and Suraj Kumar of Bihar. This person supported Kishore Ram Poojary in contacting the assailants, have additionally been arrested.

Taken together, the developments around murder of ex-Gram Panchayat president: Ninth accused arrested point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.