Udupi: Cattle thieves ram vehicle into police at Hejamady tollgate, one arrested

Udupi: Cattle thieves ram vehicle into police at Hejamady tollgate, one arrested

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Aug 6, 2025: In a dramatic incident at the Hejamady tollgate on Tuesday, cattle thieves fleeing from Gangolli police rammed their SUV into officers on duty in a desperate bid to escape, injuring three people. Despite the attack, police managed to apprehend one of the suspects.

The injured have been identified as Basavaraj Kanashetty, PSI (Investigation) at Gangolli station, constable Sandeep, and Lohith, driver of the toll patrol vehicle. The arrested suspect, Mohammed Sharoz (29) from Suratkal, has been produced before the court.

Earlier that day, a Gangolli police team in a private car intercepted an SUV transporting stolen cattle. As officers moved to detain the suspects — identified as driver Sharoz, Safaan from Kaup, Azeem from Kaup, and Rajik from Bajpe — one of them ordered the driver to ram the vehicle into the officers.

Sharoz struck PSI Basavaraj with the SUV, knocking him down and running over his hand. With KSRTC buses and other vehicles blocking the way, the accused reversed, injuring constable Sandeep. The SUV then crashed into the toll patrol vehicle, injuring its driver Lohith and pushing it into PSI Pavan Nayak’s parked car.

During the commotion, officers managed to nab Sharoz. However, another accused took control of the SUV, rammed an oncoming car, and escaped with the remaining accomplices through a narrow gap.

Police later discovered that four to five cattle were crammed inside the vehicle. A district-wide roadblock has been set up to trace the fleeing suspects. A case has been registered at Padubidri police station for attempted murder of on-duty officers and damage to public property. Investigation is ongoing.