The victims were allegedly stoned to death in Kannur village of Vijayapura taluk on Sunday.
Five people, including the alleged mastermind Akshay Juljule, were arrested on Tuesday in connection with a double murder case in Vijayapura district, Karnataka. Police said Juljule was shot in the leg while attempting to escape custody during the arrest operation.
Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi told reporters that the incident occurred when the police team tried to detain Juljule, who attempted to flee on a motorcycle. “Police first fired in the air, and when he did not stop, he was shot in the leg,” Nimbargi said. Juljule, who already faces three criminal cases, was taken to hospital for treatment. Two policemen were also injured in the operation and admitted to a nearby hospital.
The double murder took place on Sunday in Kannur village of Vijayapura taluk, where Sagar Belundagi (25) and Isahak Khureshi (24) were stoned to death by a group of assailants. Preliminary investigations suggest the murders were carried out over an old enmity between the victims and the accused.
Those arrested have been identified as Muthana Gowda, Santosh, Sanjay, Bharat, and Akshay Juljule. A case of murder has been registered at the Vijayapura Rural Police Station.
SP Nimbargi said the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact motive and whether more individuals were involved in the revenge-driven killings.
