Udupi: The Udupi police on Sunday arrested sub-inspector of police, Hiriyadka, D.N. Kumar and two other policemen after it was found that cattle trader Hussainabba, 62, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances near Perdoor on May 30, had in fact died inside the police vehicle.

In an official release, Udupi Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi said after finding the victim dead, the police along with other accused, who had tipped them off about illegal transport of cattle, kept the body a km away from the place where the cattle transporting vehicle was waylaid. Later, the police registered a case of unnatural death on the morning of May 30, saying Hussainabba must have died of cardiac arrest while fleeing from the police the previous night.

The other two policemen arrested are Gopal, driver, and head constable Mohan Kothwal of Hiriyadkka police station. Mr. Nimbargi claimed that the police personnel had admitted to their guilt in the case. The police also arrested Umesh Shetty, 28, a resident of Perdoor, and Rathan, 22, a resident of Hiriyadka, on Sunday. They had arrested Suresh Mendon alias Suri, 42, a resident of Perdoor, and Prasad H. Kondady, 30, a resident of Hiriyadka from Ballari on June 1.

One Mohammed Ismail complained to the Hiriyadka police on May 30 afternoon that his elder brother Hussainabba and others who were transporting cattle in a multi-utility vehicle, were waylaid by Bajrang Dal activists at Shenabettu, near Perdoor.

After the accused thrashed the cattle traders, two of them fled leaving Hussainabba in the hands of the activists. Meanwhile, a police vehicle too arrived at the spot, the complainant said and alleged that his brother was murdered in front of the police sub-inspector. He came to know about the incident from one of the cattle traders who fled from the spot, the complainant said.

Mr. Nimbargi said that during the investigation it was found that the accused had stopped the cattle transporting vehicle along with the police on the intervening night of May 29 and 30.

While two fled, Hussainabba was caught by the accused, who also damaged the MUV. While Hussainabba was ushered into the police vehicle, one of the accused, Suri, drove the MUV to the police station. The police realised that Hussainabba was dead on reaching the station and with the help of Prasad Kondadi and others, shifted the body near the place where the traders were waylaid, the SP said.