Burqa-clad rowdy-sheeter with 23 cases arrested in Mangaluru
Synopsis
A rowdy-sheeter with 23 criminal cases allegedly donned a burqa to slip past police and court warrants in Mangaluru — until a targeted Ullal Police operation caught up with him. The arrest is one of several recent Karnataka crackdowns on absconding offenders, including a suspect with 67 cases and 37 non-bailable warrants nabbed by Banaswadi Police.
Key Takeaways
Ullal Police arrested Imran alias Surmo Imran in Mangaluru on 14 July after he allegedly disguised himself in a burqa to evade arrest.
Imran faces 23 criminal cases across Mangaluru city and Udupi district and had repeatedly failed to appear before courts.
He was tracked down through a special operation based on credible intelligence and will be produced before the jurisdictional court.
In a separate Karnataka case, Syed Abrar (32) was arrested by Banaswadi Police despite facing 67 criminal cases and over 37 non-bailable warrants .
Another rowdy-sheeter was arrested in Channapatna for allegedly extorting ₹10 lakh from a Tahsildar after filming him.
Ullal Police in Mangaluru, Karnataka, arrested an absconding rowdy-sheeter on Tuesday, 14 July after he allegedly disguised himself in a burqa to evade surveillance and dodge multiple court warrants. The accused had reportedly been on the run despite a string of pending criminal proceedings against him.
Who Was Arrested
The accused has been identified as Imran, alias Surmo Imran, son of the late Hasanabba, a resident of Darga Road, Melangadi, Ullal. According to police, Imran is a notorious rowdy-sheeter with 23 criminal cases registered against him across Mangaluru city and Udupi district.
How He Was Caught
Police said Imran allegedly wore a burqa to conceal his identity and remain undetected while evading law enforcement. Acting on credible intelligence, the Ullal Police launched a special operation and tracked him down. He had reportedly failed to appear before courts on multiple occasions, prompting the issuance of several warrants against him.
He will be produced before the jurisdictional court for further legal proceedings, police confirmed in an official statement. Investigators are continuing to probe the pending cases registered against him at various police stations across the city.
Broader Pattern of Rowdy-Sheeter Arrests in Karnataka
The Mangaluru arrest is part of a wider crackdown on absconding offenders across Karnataka. In a separate case, Channapatna town police arrested a rowdy-sheeter accused of allegedly drugging, stripping, assaulting, and filming a nude video of Channapatna Tahsildar B.N. Girish before attempting to extort ₹10 lakh from him. The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of 28 June at the Tahsildar's official residence in Kuvempu Nagar, Channapatna.
In another instance, a rowdy-sheeter named Stanley was arrested directly from a wedding venue in Kolar Gold Fields for allegedly violating externment orders and intimidating locals.
Separately, Banaswadi Police in Bengaluru arrested Syed Abrar (32), a resident of Kadugondana Halli, following a sustained operation. Abrar had allegedly been evading arrest despite facing 67 criminal cases and more than 37 non-bailable warrants issued by various courts. He is accused of involvement in offences including murder, attempted murder, robbery, and theft. Police said he had developed a pattern of avoiding court appearances and frequently changing hideouts.
What Happens Next
Imran's production before the court is imminent, with police set to seek custody for interrogation into the multiple pending cases. The Karnataka Police's continued operations against absconding rowdy-sheeters signal a sustained effort to clear the backlog of court warrant defaulters across the state.
Point of View
But the fact that a suspect with 23 cases could evade custody long enough to require a disguise points to systemic delays in warrant execution. The real accountability question is not just about the accused, but about why court warrants in multiple jurisdictions failed to result in timely arrests.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Imran alias Surmo Imran arrested in Mangaluru?
Imran, alias Surmo Imran, is a resident of Darga Road, Melangadi, Ullal, in Mangaluru. He is a rowdy-sheeter with 23 criminal cases registered against him across Mangaluru city and Udupi district, and had been evading arrest and court appearances despite multiple warrants.
How did Mangaluru police catch the burqa-disguised accused?
Ullal Police launched a special operation based on credible intelligence and successfully tracked down Imran, who had allegedly been wearing a burqa to conceal his identity and evade detection. He will be produced before the jurisdictional court for further proceedings.
What cases does Imran face?
Imran faces 23 criminal cases registered at various police stations across Mangaluru city and Udupi district. Courts had issued multiple warrants against him after he repeatedly failed to appear for legal proceedings.
Are there other similar arrests in Karnataka recently?
Yes. Banaswadi Police arrested Syed Abrar (32), who faced 67 criminal cases and over 37 non-bailable warrants. A rowdy-sheeter named Stanley was also arrested at a wedding venue in Kolar Gold Fields for violating externment orders. Separately, a Channapatna rowdy-sheeter was arrested for allegedly extorting ₹10 lakh from a Tahsildar.
What happens next in the Mangaluru burqa arrest case?
Imran will be produced before the jurisdictional court, and police are continuing their investigation into the multiple pending cases registered against him across Mangaluru city.
