Mangaluru: City police arrest absconding interstate criminal wanted in 25 cases

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, December 17, 2025: Mangaluru City Police have arrested an absconding interstate criminal who had been evading court proceedings despite multiple non-bailable warrants and proclamation orders issued against him.

The accused has been identified as Abdul Raoof alias Meese Raoof (48), son of late Hasan Mohammed, a resident of Uppala in Manjeshwar taluk of Kasaragod district, Kerala.

Police said Raoof is involved in at least 25 criminal cases. Of these, around 19 cases were registered at various police stations in Kasaragod district, one case at Kavoor police station, and five cases at Konaje police station within the limits of Mangaluru city.

In the Kavoor police station case (Crime No. 54/2017), registered under Sections 398 and 120B of the IPC and Sections 4, 25 and 1AB of the Arms Act, the court had issued a non-bailable warrant against the accused. Additionally, in five cases registered at Konaje police station in 2020 (Crime Nos. 50/2020 to 54/2020) under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC, the court had declared him a proclaimed offender. A non-bailable warrant was also issued in connection with a case registered at Manjeshwar police station.

Police described Abdul Raoof as a notorious interstate criminal and a close associate of Isubu Ziad alias Zia of Uppala Paivalike in Kerala. Apart from the cases in Mangaluru, he has been booked in several serious cases at Manjeshwar police station over the years, including charges of robbery, dacoity, attempt to murder, house trespass, criminal intimidation and offences under the Arms Act and the PDPP Act.

Further cases against him include offences registered at Kumbla, Manjeshwar and Vidyanagar police stations between 2020 and 2024, involving theft, house-breaking, assault and violations of the Arms Act and epidemic control laws. His most recent case, Crime No. 873/2024, was registered at Manjeshwar police station under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Acting on specific inputs, a police team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (North Sub-Division) Srikant K, along with ASI Chandrashekar and staff members head constable Reji V M, Damodara K and Halesh Naik, apprehended the accused on December 16. He was later produced before the authorities and handed over to Kavoor police station for further legal proceedings.