Mangaluru : A total of eight persons have arrested in connection with the recent incidents of harming the Nagabanas at Kodikal and Kulur.

Those arrested are  Safwan of Kavoor, Suhaib, Praveen Anil Monteiro, Nikilesh, Jayakumar, Pratik, Manjunath and Naushad.

Addressing  to the reporters here on Saturday by City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said, the accused will be taken to police custody for further interrogation. There might be some others involved in the two cases and efforts are on to trace them, the Commissioner said.

The Commissioner said Irshad and Achi who were earlier arrested in chain snatching cases and were released on bail were the masterminds behind the two incidents.  The two who thought they were unable to carry out thefts as the police are on alert, had planned to divert police attention and had brought the same to the notice of Safwan of Kavoor.  Together they  resorted to the act of harming Nagabanas thinking it would divert police attention.

A police team of 40 personnel were involved in the operation, the Commissioner said adding the remaining of the accused will soon be arrested.