Udupi Town Police have arrested Mohammed Asif Betageri, a key suspect in a series of inter-state house burglaries, following three break-ins reported on July 5 in Kodankuru’s New Colony.
The arrest came after a swift investigation led by Inspector Manjunath V. Badiger, under the supervision of SP Hariram Shankar (IPS), Additional SP Sudhakar Naik, and DYSP D.T. Prabhu. The accused was tracked down and taken into custody for his alleged role in the burglaries.
During questioning, Asif confessed that he and his gang arrived at midnight, forcefully entered three homes, and stole gold, silver, and cash. The loot was later sold in Bhatkal and Sirsi, with the earnings split among the group.
Police have so far recovered Rs8.5 lakh worth of stolen property, including 95.5 grams of gold and 255 grams of silver from locations in Bhatkal and Sirsi.
Further investigations linked Asif to burglaries across multiple jurisdictions — including Sagar Town (Shivamogga), Nyamati (Davanagere), and even Goa and Uttar Pradesh. He also named his brother Arif, and associates Anees, Saleem, and Shoaib, as accomplices, who remain absconding.
The recovery operation involved a large team of officers, including PSIs Eeranna Shiragumpi, Bharatesh Kankanawadi, Narayana B. Gopalakrishna, and several staff and technical team members, who were instrumental in tracking and apprehending the accused.
