Six members of a primary agriculture cooperative society, reported missing on Sunday afternoon, were traced by police at a private sugar factory in Belagavi district the same night.
Families of Allappa Hirekodi, Doodappa Shintre, Rafiq Madihalli, Vilas Anvekar, Shivaleela Vastrad, and Shreeshail Pattanshetty had approached Yamakanamaradi Police, suspecting they were taken against their will to Vishwaraj Sugars near Bagewadi, owned by former MP Ramesh Katti.
A team led by Circle Inspectors Javed Mushapure and Mahantesh Basapure located the six at the factory. The members told police that Mr. Katti had called them for discussions on the upcoming District Central Cooperative Bank elections and asked them to stay back.
They admitted they might not have been allowed to leave without police intervention and feared being pressured to vote for the Katti panel.
The six were taken to the police station and later escorted home. A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
