On Thursday, a 23-year-old youth named identified as Mohammed Fazil was killed by a group of assailants on Krishnapura-MRPL road, Mangaluru, Karnataka. The incident happened late in the evening on the outskirts of Mangaluru after which Sec 144 CrPC was imposed in Surathkal, Mulki, Bajpe, and Panambur areas. The deceased was a resident of Mangalpete near Surathkal and owned a clothes shop.
According to the Police, Fazil was attacked with a lethal weapon by 4-5 unidentified miscreants. A report by Deccan Herald mentioned that preliminary investigations led by the Police revealed that the deceased was murdered because he was in love with a Shia woman whereas Mohammed Fazil practised Sunni Islam. The miscreants arrived in a car near the cloth shop owned by the deceased, killed him, and fled from the spot after the murder.
Mangaluru Police Commissioner, N Shashi Kumar, confirming the death said that the incident happened at around 8 pm on July 28. “There was an incident where a 23-year-old boy was brutally attacked by 4-5 people near Krishnapura Katipalla road, Surathkal. The boy was immediately shifted to a hospital and was declared dead”, he said.
We are taking up a complaint of an eyewitness who was with the deceased during the incident & a case of murder in Surathkal PS. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation in imp areas under Mangaluru city commissionerate, we’ve imposed prohibitory orders u/s 144: NS Kumar pic.twitter.com/iTcb1d1eBK
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2022
He also added that the Police has filed the case based on a complaint of the eyewitness who was with the deceased during the incident. “A case of murder has been registered at the Surathkal Police Station. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation in important areas under Mangaluru city commissioner, we’ve imposed prohibitory orders u/s 144”, the Commissioner added.
Following the incident, the police appealed to the Muslim community to hold Friday prayers at home. Liquor shops have also been closed down on Friday and police are not permitting more than five persons in a group. “We have requested all Muslim leaders to perform their prayers at their homes, in the larger interest of the law and order of every locality”, Kumar said also requesting the citizens to not succumb to any rumours being spread by vested-interest groups.
All wine shops under the commissionerate limits will be closed for July 29. We have requested all Muslim leaders to perform their prayers at their homes, in the larger interest of the law & order of every locality. Due justice will be done quickly & fairly: NS Kumar, Mangaluru CP pic.twitter.com/mjczp8Rbfx
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2022
To note, this is the second murder that has been reported in the state of Karnataka. Earlier, BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death by assailants who were on a bike in Bellari, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, and attacked Nettaru with sharp weapons. Two accused named Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq have been arrested in Kerala. Reports mention that the two are linked to the Islamist terrorist organizations named SDPI and PFI.
While some of the reports claim that the murder of Mohammed Fazil was executed in retaliation for the murder of Nettaru, others have dismissed the claims and stated that it might be a result of a love affair.
The case has been registered under the relevant sections of the IPC and the Police are investigating the case to verify the motive behind the murder. The Police have also recovered the CCTV footage from the spot which has shocked the state. Further investigations are underway.
