Advocate killed in Kalaburagi over property dispute, one held: Police

Police arrested a man and are on the lookout for three others for killing a woman social worker and advocate in Kalaburagi city on Wednesday, officials said on Thursday.

Police identified the deceased as Mazat Sultana (35), who worked as an advocate in the city.

According to police officials, the incident occurred when Mazat Sultana was shifting the furniture to a new house from her Zam Zam Nagara residence to a new locality.

She was following the goods van in her scooter when the accused rammed her from behind at Hagaragi cross, police said, adding that she fell from the bike and hit her head. The accused fled the scene after the incident.

Sultana died on her way to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), police said.

The police said that the murder took place due to a property dispute between Sultana’s husband, Mohammed Saddam and his brothers Nayeem and Nadeem. Azeem Goundi and Vaseem Goundi, who run a news channel on social media, are relatives of Saddam. All four hatched a plan to kill Sultana, the police said.

“We have had a property dispute with my brothers Nayeem and Nadeem for six years over sharing an ancestral house. We planned to shift the house to another locality, but before moving to a new house they killed my wife,” Saddam said.

He said the accused threatened him several times over a bigger share of the property.

“All four planned to kill my wife as she foiled their bids successfully as an advocate, which enraged them. Earlier, they booked false cases against us, and we were in jail for some time. Then we decided to stay away from them,” he said.

“Soon after the incident, commissioner of police R Chetan and DCP A Srinivasulu visited the spot. Sniffer dog squad and fingerprint experts collected the evidence,” University police inspector Kanimeshwara said.

Police registered a case under sections 302 (murder), 114 (abettor present when offence committed), 142 (unlawful assembly), 147 (guilty of rioting) and 149 (offence committed by unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“We have arrested accused Mohammed Nayeem, brother of Saddam and laid a trap to arrest the other accused. We have clues about their hideout and will nab them soon,” the police inspector said.