7 held for Arif’s murder; police cite wider conspiracy

Mangaluru: Mangaluru city police have arrested seven key accused in the murder of rowdy sheeter Arif Hussain, with investigators pointing to a wider conspiracy behind the crime.Police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH said on Thursday that on March 27, six accused — Rifat, Juttu Ashfaq, Khaleel, Shakir, Irfan and Rizwan — followed Arif's bike, rammed it with an SUV and fatally assaulted him on the Thokkottu flyover.Irshad was identified as a key facilitator who provided shelter to the accused and transported them to the crime scene. Suhail allegedly arranged the rental SUV used in the offence and later fled to Saudi Arabia. Another accused, Arshad, procured weapons, tracked police movement, kept the team in communication, arranged transport and funded the accused while they were on the run.Ashwir, linked to a previous case, supplied foreign (Dubai) OTPs that enabled the accused to operate international WhatsApp accounts to evade surveillance. When one number was traced, fresh credentials were arranged to avoid detection. The commissioner said Mustafa and Ashwir, operating from abroad, also funded travel, accommodation and logistics while the accused were absconding.So far, seven accused — the six attackers and Irshad — have been arrested. Police believe more individuals are involved, and efforts are under way to trace the remaining suspects.On the motive, the commissioner said the murder stemmed from an old rivalry, adding that the victim reportedly celebrated the death of notorious Naufal.Arif Hussain, 46, alias ‘Tablet' Arif, who was facing criminal cases, was hacked to death within Ullal police station limits. The case has been transferred to the ACP, CCB, for investigation.