3 held for shooting at Sri Ram Sene leader in Belagavi

Belagavi: City police arrested three accused within 18 hours after they opened fire on Ravi Kokitkar, the district head of the Sri Ram Sene , on Saturday evening near Hindalga jail here.
Briefing the media here on Sunday, police commissioner MB Boralingaiah said the accused were hiding on the outskirts of the city after their failed attempt to murder Kokitkar. “Since it was a sensitive case, we had formed four teams to find the accused, which has given results in a record time,” he said.
The main accused is Abhijit Somnath Bhatkande,41, of Patil Mal, Belagavi, and the other accused are Rahul Ningani Kodachawad,32,and Jyotiba Gangaram Mutagekar,25, from Sambhaji Galli in Bastwad village.
The three used a motorcycle to track the movements of Kokitkar and fired at him near Hindalaga jail when the car, in which Kokitkar was travelling, slowed down due to a speed hump. Bhatkande fired the bullet, which grazed the chin of Kokitkar, and hit the hand of the car driver. Kokitkar had a close shave, and sustained minor injuries.
Boralingaiah said, “It’s a clear case of personal enmity that involved financial transactions, and is not related to ideology of any outfit. On January 1, 2020, Abhijit Bhatkande had been attacked in the Shahapur police station limits. In that case, Ravi Kokitkar was the main accused. There was enmity between the two in connection with real estate transactions, as per the preliminary investigation,” the commissioner said.
“As far as Saturday’s attack is concerned, the accused used an unlicensed gun, which was recovered by the police,” he said. Police are investigating the case from the angle of a contract killing. The case has been registered in the Camp police station, as an attempt to murder.
DCP (law and order) Ravindra Gadadi and DCP (crime) PV Sneha and ACPs Narayan Baramani and M Chandrappa were present.
Many BJP leaders, including local MLAs and leaders of right-wing outfits, rushed to the private hospital where Kokitkar is admitted.
CM condemns attack
Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai condemned the incident, while in Haveri. “I have already given instructions to the police to take the case seriously. The government will bear the medical expenses of Ravi Kokitkar,” he said and added that there may be difference of opinion, but it shouldn’t lead to violence.