Dakshina Kannada DC Invokes Goonda Act Against Six Accused in Bantwal Murder Case

In a major law-and-order move, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner H.V. Darshan has invoked provisions of the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, commonly known as the Goonda Act, against six key accused in a 2025 murder case in Bantwal taluk. The detention order was executed just a day before the suspects were scheduled to receive bail from a Special Court handling Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) cases in Mysuru. The case pertains to the brutal attack on Abdul Rehman on May 27, 2025, in Kuriyala village near Bantwal, where a group of 15 assailants set upon him while he was unloading sand from a pick-up vehicle. Rehman later succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru. Police subsequently arrested 22 individuals in connection with the crime. Due to the repeat criminal antecedents of several key accused over the past decade, authorities invoked Section 3 of KCOCA and transferred the case to the Special Court in Mysuru. By invoking the Goonda Act, district authorities have ensured that the accused remain in preventive detention despite obtaining bail in the primary murder proceedings. Local officials stated that the step was taken to preserve public peace and prevent repeat offenders from disrupting harmony in the region.