Akash, who was released from the Jail in June 2013, allegedly received funds from unknown sources to buy four pistols and 45 rounds of bullets from Uttar Pradesh. According to police, a plan to eliminate Nayak was hatched at Mysore jail in June 2013.

Police said he was receiving threats from the underworld and had been provided a gunman. He was a close aide of former minister Anand Asnotikar and a big-time transporter of iron ore to the Belekeri port from Ankola railway station. Nayak, associated with the BJP in Uttara Kannada district, was running many cooperative societies and educational institutions. The assailants were nabbed using technical and scientific inputs. Nayak's gunman had also sustained injuries in the incident. Nayak was pronounced dead when he was brought to hospital. Another assailant, Jagadish Patel, 24, of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was caught by the public when he tried to flee. The slain businessman's security guard Ramesh Gowda returned the fire, killing one of the assailants, identified as Akash alias Vivek Kumar Upadhya, 27. Four assailants shot dead Nayak in Ankola town of Uttara Kannada district on December 21 when he was getting into his car near the town bus stand. A special team of police made the arrests in Hebri in Karkala taluk.

IGP (Western Range) Pratap Reddy identified the arrested as 35-year-old Ambaji alias Abhi from Bangalore and 29-year-old Ganesh alias Laxman Bhajantri from Karkala's Idu village. MANGALORE: Police on Sunday claimed a breakthrough in the investigations into the murder of businessman and co-operative leader R N Nayak with the arrest of two persons on Saturday night.

Karavali munjavu e paper