"Udupi murders: Police to probe if 'possessive' Chowgale targeted only Ainaz"
Mangaluru (PTI): Was Praveen Chowgale, the accused in the murder of four members of a family in Udupi, overly possessive about his young colleague Ainaz, who was his real target during the fatal attack last Sunday? Police are attempting to find the real motive behind the crime as they are not considering all the claims made during his confessional statement.
During interrogation, Chowgale (39) has admitted to committing the crime on his own and that he targeted Ainaz (21), who worked with him as a cabin crew of the Air India Express. It is suspected that unrequited love could be one of the reasons behind the brutal murder.
He told the police that other members of the family were attacked when they tried to prevent him.
Police also suspect that the three others in the family were murdered to destroy evidence. Only Ainaz's grandmother Hajira (70) survived the attack with serious injuries. She is now undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Police have collected technical and other evidence to show that he murdered all the four persons. Other motives related to the crime will only be revealed during further investigation, Udupi district superintendent of police K Arun said.
During questioning, the accused has also stated he had gone to the house of Ainaz with a definite plan to kill her.
Investigators will also ascertain his claims of having worked with the Maharashtra police for some time before joining Air India Express.
Police are also verifying his criminal history and whether Chowgale committed the crime under the influence of narcotic drugs.
The accused, who belongs to Sangli in Maharashtra, worked at the Mangaluru International Airport. He worked with Ainaz as a crew member of AIE.
After committing the crime, he switched off his mobile phone and turned it on after reaching his relative's house at Kudachi in Belagavi district. He was picked up from there before he could leave for Andhra Pradesh as planned.
Ainaz's mother Haseena (46), sister Afnan (23) and brother Aseem (12) were also killed in the attack. Her father Mohammed Noor has been working abroad for the last several years. The family was financially well off.
The police are investigating all the angles to establish the exact motive behind the gruesome murders that took place at Nejar in Udupi on November 12, sending shockwaves across the state, the SP said.
Arun said all Chowgale's statement and claims during the interrogation will be confirmed only after further verification.
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Leadership issue: Cong high command will call us at 'appropriate time,' will wait, says Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Dec 20 (PTI): With the leadership issue involving him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah coming to the fore again, deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday said the Congress high command has told the two leaders as to when they will be called to Delhi to to discuss the matter.
He said that both of them will go to Delhi and meet the high command, when summoned.
"I will inform you, I won't do anything without informing you. I will not go hiding from you," Shivakumar told reporters here in response to a question on him and Siddaramaiah's likely visit to the national capital to meet the party high command after the just concluded legislature session.
Asked if there was any invitation from the high command, asking him and CM to come to Delhi, he said, "they have told something to both of us, they have told both of us over phone as to when they will call us. We will go, both of us will go."
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"They (high command) have said they will call both of us at the appropriate time, we will wait for the call," the Karnataka Congress chief added.
Shivakumar's statement came a day after Siddaramaiah asserted in the Assembly that he would continue in office. He had also said that the Congress high command was "in my favour" and asserted that no decision was made on him staying at the helm for only two-and-a-half years, as per a rumoured 2023 agreement on power-sharing with his deputy.
Shivakumar, had said that he and CM Siddaramaiah have come to an agreement with the involvement of the Congress high command, and both of them will abide by it.
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
The speculation was fueled by the "power-sharing" pact between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
Meanwhile some 'Naga Sadhus' visited the Deputy CM's residence and blessed him.
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Stating that he is going to Delhi on Tuesday to meet various central ministers, Shivakumar, who is also the Minister for water resources said, "the central government's water resources department has called us regarding interlinking of rivers."
"I will go there and discuss matters related to the state's river projects like Mahadayi, Krishna water award, Mekedatu, and Upper Badhra."
He said he will also meet the central water resources minister, forest minister, urban development minister.
"There are a lot of issues. We wanted to meet them along with MPs from the state, but still I will go and meet. Then after that, if needed, we will meet the Prime Minister also with the issues," Shivkumar added.
Hitting out at the Modi government at the Center for replacing the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from it, Shivakumar accused it of insulting the father of the nation.
He also challenged the government to remove Gandhiji's image from currency notes.
"The country wants Gandhi. People of the country will respond to it," he said.
"They want to change Gandhi's name...let them change this picture of Gandhi also," he said, showing a currency note.
"With Gandhi's name we had started an employment guarantee scheme under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and (late) Manmohan Singh (former PM), the MGNREGA.....they want to kill the scheme, so they have changed its name. A big movement will start against it from Karnataka itself," he said.
