Udupi police arrest three accused in e panchayat president murder case
The Udupi district police, in coordination with the Uttara Kannada district police, swiftly acted to arrest three North Indians allegedly involved in the murder of
The Udupi district police, in coordination with the Uttara Kannada district police, swiftly acted to arrest three North Indians allegedly involved in the murder of former President of the Mudarangadi Gram Panchayat, David D’Souza, on Friday (August 7, 2026). One person who was accused of shooting the victim tried to escape after injuring a police officer. He was apprehended by the police after being shot in the leg. Special police teams comprising personnel from Udupi and Karkala sub-divisions and technical staff were engaged to trace the three accused involved in the murder of Mr. D’Souza in front of his office near St. Francis Xavier Church in Pilar. Helped by Kumta and Bhatkal police According to a press note, police were tipped off about three accused persons, including the alleged assailant, travelling in a bus towards Bhatkal.
The police followed the bus and stopped it near Ottinene hillock and began checking the passengers. Soon after, the three accused persons got out of the bus and started to run. As the police chased them, one of the accused, Raju, 42, from Uttar Pradesh, the suspected assailant, pushed Police Sub Inspector Tejaswi to the ground and fired at him using a short firearm. In self-defence, Tejaswi shot at Raju’s leg and secured him. The police coordinated with Kumta Police to arrest Ajay Rastogi, 23, of Uttarakhand, and with the Bhatkal police to arrest Ziahul Vazul Sheikh, alias Deepak, 38, of Bihar. Injured PSI Tejaswi and accused Raju were admitted to a private hospital in Udupi, where they are recovering from the injury.
Both are out of danger. Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar visited the hospital. Victim’s financial dealings under scanner Around 4 p.m. on August 7, D’Souza was attacked by the assailant when he was to board his jeep parked in front of his office, ‘Prince Enterprises’, near St. Francis Xavier Church, in Pilar. CCTV images showed the assailant hitting D’souza and firing at him, even as the former fell to the ground. The assailant was also seen threatening onlookers with the firearm and fleeing from the spot in the motorcycle of his accomplice. Shankar told reporters that a preliminary investigation had revealed financial dealings of Mr. D’Souza that had resulted in the attack.
The victim was involved in carrying out civil contract works at Udupi Power Corporation Ltd. He is also accused in 14 cases, the majority of which were registered at the time when protests were held against the UPCL project. In one case, D’Souza was accused of pointing a firearm at the protesters, which was later seized. The victim was also accused in a case of abetment to suicide registered in 2020.
The BriefWire