Police arrest 3 over coffee, pepper and oxen thefts

Madikeri: Kodagu district police arrested three persons in connection with separate theft cases involving coffee, black pepper and oxen, and launched a search for other accused.The arrested are KM Ubaid, 36, of Channayyana Kote; PM Mujeeb, 36, of Kottamudi village, Kodagu; and Abdul Rehman, 34, of Katikolam, Manandwadi in Kerala.A resident of Devapura village, MA Uthaiah, lodged a complaint on Dec 21, reporting the theft of 15 bags of coffee kept in his field. In another case, TH Hanif of Channangolli filed a complaint at Gonikoppa police station on Feb19 regarding the theft of 11 bags of black pepper. On Feb 28, during a check based on information about illegal cattle transportation near the Thithimathi sub-station on the highway, police found oxen being transported in a vehicle. The suspects were detained and questioned.During interrogation, police said they allegedly stole two oxen from Bilikere police station limits and a vehicle from the Hunsur police station limits. Further questioning linked them to the coffee and black pepper theft, police said, adding that they seized Rs 1,43,500 in cash, three vehicles and two oxen from the accused, Kodagu SP Bindu Mani said.Caretaker held in theft caseIn another case, police arrested a caretaker for allegedly stealing cash and jewellery from the house where he worked. The accused was identified as Bhadrappa Basappa Hadapada, 27, of Mannur village in Vijayapura district. Police said he was employed as a caretaker for the elderly brother of Dr Parthasarathy, who lives behind FMKM Cariappa College in Madikeri. Before taking the job, he allegedly introduced himself as Mahantesh Pujara from Koppal district. Following a complaint over the theft of gold ornaments and Rs 5.5 lakh in cash from the house on Feb 28, police questioned and arrested him. A local court remanded him to judicial custody.Police said they seized Rs 5,09,000 in cash, 137g of gold and a mobile phone. Police said he was also involved in a theft case in Davanagere in 2025.