Udupi quadruple murder: Residents waylay police van carrying accused while returning from victims’ residence after Mahazar

Residents of Nejaru waylaid police vehicle carrying 40-yr-old Praveen Arun Chowgale, arrested in quadruple murder case. Police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse crowd. Chowgale confessed to throwing knife and blood-stained cloth in Phalguni River. Investigation suggests murder was triggered by jealousy and animosity.

Residents of Nejaru in Udupi city waylaid a police vehicle carrying the 40-year-old Praveen Arun Chowgale, who has been arrested in connection with the quadruple murder case, when police were returning with the accused after conducting Mahazar in the house of victims on Thursday, November 16. Police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. No one was injured in the lathi-charge.

Chowgale, a cabin crew member of Air India Express, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of murdering his fellow colleague Aynaz, her mother Haseena, 46, and her siblings Afnan, 23, and Asim, 12, on Sunday, November 12. Chowgale was produced before the first Additional Civil Judge and JMFC Shyam Prakash, who granted request of police for custody of Chowgale for 14 days.

Police brought Chowgale to the house of Aynaz in Nejaru at around 5 p.m. As the police were boarding their van to return with the accused at around 5.30 p.m., residents, Aynaz’s family members, and others raised slogans against Chowgale and blocked the vehicle. Police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and safely take away the accused. Residents continued their protest for a while later on Santhekatte Main Road. Police spoke to religious leaders to bring down the flared tempers of residents.

The Malpe police sou motu registered cases for offences punishable under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149, 186 (false information with the intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of Indian Penal Code.

In his confessional statement to police, Chowgale said that he threw the knife used to stab the victims in the Phalguni River at Kuluru in Mangaluru and he also threw his blood-stained cloth to the river and later drove away to Kudchi in his car.

Police said that the investigation has revealed that Chowgale, who is married, was in a relationship with Aynaz. Following the reported confrontation of Chowgale’s wife with Aynaz over the latter’s relationship with Chowgale, Aynaz had stopped interacting with Chowgale.

“We are confriming these details with Aynaz’s family members, friends and colleagues. We are likely to come out with the clear motive for the murder shortly,” a senior police official said.