"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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Maharashtra Congress chief Patole meets Kharge, dismisses resignation talk as 'rumours'
New Delhi, Nov 25: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Monday dismissed as "rumours" talk of his resignation following the assembly polls debacle and stressed on "collective accountability" for the defeat.
Patole made the remarks after meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during which he conveyed that the result had not reflected the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.
"Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other national and state leaders were leading Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from the forefront during the assembly polls. So, we were sure that the trends were in favour of Maha Vikas Aghadi, even the citizens believed that," the Maharashtra Congress chief said.
"If I talk about Nanded, the Lok Sabha bypolls and assembly elections were held on the same day. In Lok Sabha bypolls, our candidate was winning in six assembly seats, whereas, in the assembly elections, we are not winning even a single seat," he said, adding that there cannot be such a "huge difference".
This is the sentiment among the people also and they have stated that this government in Maharashtra was not being formed on their votes, he claimed.
"So, I spoke to Mallikarjun Kharge on this," he added.
Asked whether he had offered to resign or the party had asked for his resignation after the Maharashtra assembly polls defeat, Patole said, "These are all rumours and there is no truth in them. There is collective accountability."
Patole also said he will meet Rahul Gandhi in a day or two and discuss all issues.
"Democracy is being finished. We have discussed that... there was no talk of resignation," he said.
The MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), was restrained to 46 seats by the Mahayuti that reaped a rich harvest of 230 seats in the 288-member House.
