Khanapur murder: Vigilante outfit called victim for 'compromise', sought bribe

Belagavi/Karnataka: Nazima, the mother of Khanapur murder victim Arbaaz Mulla, told The News Minute (TNM) that Arbaaz was asked to meet Sri Ram Sena Hindustan (SRSH) two days before his murder to broker a compromise regarding his relationship with the Hindu girl.

The rightwing outfit- an offshoot of the Sri Ram Sene- set up the meeting with the youth, and Nazima accompanied him. TNM reports that it had accessed call records to prove that Arbaaz indeed received several calls on September 26th, hours before the meeting.

Nazima said that the group threatened them that a thousand people were waiting for them at the meeting place to attack them, but when they reached there, there were only three people- Pundalik, Prashanth Birije (both SRSH members) and another Muslim man. The latter was to ensure the 'compromise' was brokered.

At the meeting, a heated exchange occurred, and the men snatched Arbaaz's phone and deleted all photos of him and his girlfriend. Then they demanded a bribe of Rs 7000, and Arbaaz paid Rs 500 on that day.

Nazima said that Pundalik threatened that he has 40 criminal cases against him and one more will not make a difference. He further said he would use acid on Arbaaz if he did not back off from the relationship or failed to pay the money.

Arbaaz's cousin Sameer Pareshwari told TNM that the group asked Arbaaaz for more money and to pay them Arbaaz sold a car for Rs 90,000 on September 27th (Arbaaz was a second-hand car dealer). He was also planning to sell his iPhones, the cousin said. Out of fear of being snatched, Arbaaz had handed two of his phones over to his grandmother before leaving the house on Tuesday, the September 28th when he was murdered, Sameer said. He was going to work out one final compromise and only took a low-end phone with him.

Nazima said that Arbaaz was living in fear for the last one year as his relationship became commonly known in Khanapur. She told TNM that she wants the police to find justice for Arbaaz, and she has faith in them.

TNM reports that SRSH confirmed that they are 'love vigilantes'. The president of the SRSH in Belagavi, Ramanath Konduskar, told TNM that Pundalik and Prashant are members of his organisation. He further added that the organisation was involved in many cases "working with the police" and advising women.