In two separate incidents highlighting law enforcement action in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district, police have made arrests in a case of cattle theft and another involving corruption. The Vittal police successfully apprehended a suspect linked to the theft of four cattle, while the Lokayukta police trapped and arrested a fisheries department official for allegedly accepting a bribe.
Cattle Theft in Peruvai Village Leads to Arrest
The Vittal police have arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the theft of four cattle from Peruvai village in Bantwal taluk. The incident, which caused distress to the owners, was reported on November 18. According to the police, the animals belonging to Ganesh Rai and Narayana Naik were allegedly stolen from the cooperative society premises where they had been taken out for grazing.
Based on a formal complaint lodged by Ganesh Rai, a case was registered at the Vittal police station. Following an investigation, the police identified and arrested the accused, Zulfhan Malik, a resident of Kodi in Ullal village, on Thursday. After his arrest, Malik was produced before the jurisdictional court and remanded to police custody. Authorities have confirmed that further investigation into the matter is currently in progress.
Lokayukta Sting Nets Corrupt Fisheries Official
In an unrelated case demonstrating the crackdown on corruption, the Lokayukta police arrested a government officer for demanding and accepting a bribe. The accused, Shivakumar P, a supervisor with the fisheries department in Udupi, was caught red-handed on Wednesday.
The case originated from a subsidy granted under the central government's Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. The complainant, a fish trader, had received a subsidy of Rs 1.2 lakh for purchasing a tempo rickshaw. It is alleged that Shivakumar sought a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the beneficiary for his role in the process.
The trader reportedly paid the demanded amount via Google Pay but subsequently approached the Lokayukta police to file a complaint. Acting on this, the Lokayukta team laid a trap. The arrest was made at the fisheries department office in Udupi after the official accepted the bribe money.
Team Effort in Anti-Corruption Operation
The successful trap operation was conducted under the guidance of Kumarachandra, the superintendent of police (in-charge) for the Karnataka Lokayukta's Mangaluru division. The operation saw participation from several officers, including Deputy Superintendent of Police VS Halamoorthi Rao, Police Inspectors Manjunath and Rajendra Naik MN, along with other staff from the Udupi Lokayukta office. This coordinated effort underscores the department's commitment to tackling graft at the grassroots level.
Both cases remain under investigation as authorities work to uncover further details and ensure justice is served.
