Habitual offender caught with country-made pistol

The Shivajinagar police on Saturday arrested a 22-year-old habitual offender for allegedly carrying a country-made pistol and two live cartridges. Based on a tip-off, the police intercepted him near Russell market where he had come for shopping.

The accused has been identified as Shaik Mustafa, a native of Siddapura in Bhatkal. Mustafa, during the questioning, revealed that a few months ago, he had gone to Mumbai and stayed there for a while. He had managed to steal the pistol from someone and returned to the city.

Mustafa claimed that he was working in a hotel in Mumbai where he managed to get the weapon and also had a plan to go to Dubai for a while.

He was involved in bike theft cases in Kumta, Bhatkal and other places in Dakshin Kannada and was arrested by the police a couple of times. He came to the city to commit a robbery and thought that he would threaten the people.

“We have taken Mustafa into four days’ police custody for further investigations and are also probing further to ascertain whether Mustafa was planning any crime with the weapon,” a police officer said.