Hyderabad: Three held for shooting gau rakshak in Pocharam IT corridor, one absconding

Three persons, including Mohammed Ibrahim Qureshi, were arrested by Rachakonda police for shooting gau rakshak Sonu Singh in Pocharam IT corridor. Police said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over cattle transport. One accused remains absconding.

Hyderabad: Three persons including Ibrahim, who had allegedly shot and injured a gau rakshak, Bidla Prashanth Kumar alias Sonu Singh on Wednesday evening at Pocharam IT corridor were arrested by the Rachakonda police. One of their associates is absconding and efforts are on to nab him.

The arrested are Mohammed Ibrahim Qureshi (24), of Bandlaguda, Kuruva Srinivas (29) of Shabad and Hassan Bin Mosin (22) of Kalapather.

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According to the Rachakonda Commissioner of Police, G Sudheer Babu, Ibrahim and Sonu Singh were known to each other and they had often interacted over phone. “Since a few months, the police were seizing the cattle being transported by Ibrahim and he claimed to have suffered a loss of Rs. 1 crore. He suspected that Sonu Singh, was giving a tip off to gau rakshak groups who were stopping the vehicles along with police and was demanding Rs. 5 lakh so as not to interfere in the business of Ibrahim,” said G Sudheer Babu, Rachakonda CP.

Ibrahim, with the help of Srinivas, wanted to discuss and resolve the issue with Sonu Singh. On Wednesday, Ibrahim, Haneef Qureshi, Srinivas and Mosin went in a car to the Pocharam IT corridor to discuss the issue. “A lengthy discussion took place for around one hour at a real estate venture on the roadside. Having failed to reach a conclusion, Ibrahim went to his car, brought a countrymade weapon and shot and injured Sonu Singh,” said G Sudheer Babu.

Afterwards, the suspects escaped in a car. “Around 4.30 am, we arrested Ibrahim, Mosin and Srinivas. The weapon was seized from them, a country made pistol sourced by Ibrahim, through a friend in Chhattisgarh,” said Rachakonda CP.

Special teams are making efforts to nab Haneef Qureshi, who is still absconding. “The investigation is continuing. All the evidence will be submitted before the court,” said the official.

The Rachakonda CP maintained that so far the police had seized 5510 cattle being illegally transported to the city and registered 283 cases. “We work in a professional way. Nobody should stop the vehicles transporting cattle, they should inform the police and suitable action will be taken to curb illegal transportation of cattle,” added the Rachakonda CP.