Saudi NRI techie detained at Mangaluru Airport; cops release him after realising their mistake

Mangaluru, Dec 21: A young non-resident Indian engineer from coastal Karnataka had to land in police custody soon after he arrived at Mangaluru International Airport on Thursday after working in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for two years. In what appears to be a case of mistaken identity, the authorities detained him because they believed him to be an accused in a five year old murdered case.

Mohammad Ashfaq, son of Ahmad Bava, a resident of Kulai Vidyanagara on the outskirts of Managluru, had been to Saudi Arabia’s Dammam in 2015 after completing his engineering graduation. He was eager to meet his family members who were waiting for him at the airport on Thursday morning. However, to his shock, immigration authorities surrounded him and handed him over a court notice.

The murder case

In 2012 rowdy-sheeter Kodikere Shivaraj was hacked death by two miscreants – Dinesh and Prakash – at Kulai Kodikere. Police managed to arrest both the accused. Later, Prakash was murdered by the gang members of slain Shivaraj. Dinesh was sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court earlier this year. 

However, the police believe that one Mohammad Asfar had given supari to eliminate Shivaraj. Asfar hails from Kulai Sannangara and his father’s name also Ahmed Bava. Police suspect that he had flown to Saudi Arabia to evade arrest. They have also issued a lookout notice for him.

Finally released

After reading the passenger’s first name and his father’s name, the immigration authorities did not make any delay to detain Mohammad Ashfaq, who had come from Saudi Arabia.

Even before an innocent Ashfaq could realise what’s happening, he was handed over to the jurisdictional Bajpe police who in turn handed him over to Panambur police who are looking for Moammad Asfar.

However, after interrogation, the coups realised that they have detained a wrong person who does not even aware of Shivaraj murder case. He was released following the intervention of senior police officers of Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate.