Belagavi police have registered a case of murder against an auto driver, following the death of Lavoo Suryaji Mamlatdar (68), a former MLA in Belagavi on Saturday (February 15, 2025).
Ameer Sohail alias Mujahid Shakeel (26) has been charged with deadly assault leading to the death of Congress leader Mamlatdar. The former legislator died a following a minor accident and altercation with the driver. The accused has been arrested and a court remanded him in judicial custody.
Officers of the Market police station registered a first information report based on a complaint by Adiveppa Karilingannanavar, an eye witness.
Mamlatdar had served as a deputy Superintendent of Police in Goa before entering politics. He used to regularly visit Belagavi for shopping and other errands. On Sunday, he had driven his car from Goa. During the incident he was alone and was not accompanied by anyone. Family members of the deceased arrived in Belagavi on Sunday evening, met police officers and took back the body after post mortem.
The accused, a resident of Subhash Nagar in Belagavi, had attacked the Congress leader following suspicion that the leader’s car had hit his auto rickshaw and damaged it. He chased his car and got into an altercation with him. He demanded that Mr Mamlatdar pay a hefty compensation amount on the spot. But he refused, saying the damage was minimal and that the impact had only left scratches. When the auto driver began arguing, the retired police officer asked him to go and file a case for damages. In a fit of rage, the accused beat him up. Some by standers intervened and stopped the assault. Mamlatdar who turned back to go to his hotel room, collapsed on the steps. Hotel staff rushed him to the district hospital where he was brought dead. Deputy commissioner of police Rohan Jagadeesh visited the spot.
The FIR says that the accused attacked the former MLA with the intention to murder him. “He dealt a few blows on his face and ears and the victim suffered internal injuries,’‘ a police officer said.
Abdul Rafiq, president of Belgaum auto drivers’ association has denied that the accused was not an auto driver. He is a taxi driver who drives a four wheeler. Calling him an auto driver will bring a bad name to the auto drivers of Belagavi. That is not acceptable, he said. The FIR however, identifies Shakeel as an auto driver.
Meanwhile, Abhay Patil BJP MLA from Belagavi south, has alleged that law and order had collapsed in Karnataka under the Congress government. “If we can not protect former MLAs, what about the safety of the common people?’‘, he said. He also alleged that Mr Mamlatdar had been assaulted by 10-15 anti social elements. City police have however maintained that the accused acted alone.
