Karnataka Forum for Dignity men abducted, killed Hunsur boys for ransom

The Central Crime Branch has cracked the sensational case of abduction and murder of two BBM students — Sudheendra, 21, and his friend, Vignesh, 20 (both residents of Hunsur in Mysore district) — on June 8.

They were kidnapped from Mahajan College premises in Mysore while on their way to write their 2nd BBM examination on June 8, and their bodies were found in a field near Chikkaballapur on June 12.

The probe has exposed the direct involvement of six active members of Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD), who sought ransom of ¤5 crore to raise funds for their organisation, home minister R Ashoka announced on Wednesday.

The KFD, said to be an outfit of “progressive thinkers”, merged with the Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI) on November 22, 2006, following a massive crackdown on Students Islamic Movement of India (Simi).

Ashoka said the police have arrested the alleged KFD members Adil alias Adil Pasha, 23, Athavulla Khan, 23 (both residents of Hunsur), Ameen alias Syed Ameen, 23, Rehman alias Shabbir Rehaman (25), Kouser alias Mohammed Kouser, 26, and Safeer Ahmed alias Safeer, 34 (all four residents of Rajiv Nagar in Mysore).

They targeted Sudheendra as he was the son of Mohan Kumar, a wealthy businessman and cousin of Hunsur MLA HP Manjunath.
The home minister said one person (whose name has been withheld by the police) – who is supposed to be the brain behind the kidnapping, demand for ransom and the murder of the two boys – is yet to be arrested.

The police claimed that the six were nabbed on Wednesday morning near Bangalore University (Jnanabharathi) when they were driving in two cars. The police, acting on a tip-off that the gang would be passing that way, intercepted the two cars. On being interrogated, they confessed to have committed the ghastly crime.