Mangaluru
The body of businessman Mumtaz Ali, aged 52, was discovered in the Falguni River in Kooluru on Monday morning. He had been reported missing after stopping his car near the Kooluru bridge early on Sunday. The body was taken to AJ Hospital in the city for a postmortem.
On Sunday at about 3:30 a.m., a voice message was received by his family in their WhatsApp group. After seeing the message at 4:40 a.m., family members began searching for him. They found his damaged vehicle near the bridge but did not locate him.
Due to the suspicious circumstances, a missing person’s complaint was filed at Kavoor Police Station. Rescue teams were deployed to search for him, including expert swimmers. Hydar Ali, the businessman’s brother, filed a complaint against six individuals, including a woman, for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from him.
The complainant claimed that the accused had conspired against Mumtaz Ali, who was active in public life for over 30 years. More than Rs 50 lakh was allegedly extorted from him since July 2024 by threats of spreading rumors about a relationship. The accused reportedly took Rs 25 lakh through a cheque, which was encashed, and demanded more money. A case has been registered at the Kavoor police station, and an investigation is ongoing.
