Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod
Updated
Kasargod, Mar 21: After incidents of stone-pelting during the hartal against murder of Madrasa teacher Riyaz (34) on Tuesday March 21, the district collector (DC) issued orders imposing prohibitory orders under Section 144 in the district for a period of one week.
The prohibitory orders will be in place till March 27, DC K Jeevan Babu informed.
Earlier in the evening, the DC convened an all-party peace meet in a bid to resolve the situation, during which he urged all the persons present to maintain harmony.
"People should not pay any heed to rumours. It is still not clear who was behind the murder. But no rumours should be spread," he told the leaders of different political parties.
Protest
Meanwhile, Kasargod MLA N A Nellikunhu led a protest outside the office of the superintendent of police (SP) demanding that the slain Madrasa teacher's be brought to Kasargod after post-mortem, and that investigation be conducted by a police official from outside the district.
As Riyaz from Madikeri, it has been decided to take his body to his hometown after post-mortem. However, the protestors led by the MLA demanded that the body be kept for public viewing in Kasargod to pay last respects.
28 injury marks on body
It is learnt that as many as 28 injury marks were found on Riyaz's body, out of which three were of serious nature. A deep cut was found on the left side of the head. Police suspect that the injuries were caused by similar kind of weapons.
The body was handed over to family members after post-mortem at Pariyaram hospital. Despite the MLA's demand, the body was taken to Madikeri without bringing it to Kasargod.
Earlier Update
Madrasa teacher's murder: Hartal in Kasargod, stones pelted; students in quandary
Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod
Updated
Kasargod, Mar 21: Following the murder of Madrasa teacher, Riyaz (34) from Madikeri, a hartal was staged here on Tuesday March 21 condeming the act.
Buses and motor vehicles stayed off the roads in response to the call for bandh.
Normal life was throw out of gear. The hartal particularly affected students writing annual exams as they were left stranded with no transport to ferry them to the exam centres.
The DC then made special transport arrangements, because of which several students were able to reach their exam centres.
As the murder came as a shock to Kasargod district, neither the public nor the students were prepared for the bandh which was called by the Muslim League early Tuesday.
Sporadic incidents of clashes were reported across the district. Shops and commercial establishments downed their shutters fearing violence. In several places like Kasargod town, Cherkala, Talangere and Edaneeru, protestors blocked roads with stones and wooden logs. Private vehicles were forcibly stopped in Vidyanagar, Cherkala and other places.
Buses and other vehicles moving from Mangaluru to Kasargod were able to reach till Kumble. In a few places, stones were also hurled at houses.
The police have beefed up security especially in the outskirts of Kasargod.
The DC has called for a peace meet later at 4 pm.
Special team formed
Meanwhile, the hunt is on for the accused. A special police team led by DySP V Sukumaran has been formed to investigate the case.
The police suspect the involvement of a local and have started investigations in this direction.
The motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained.
Fingerprint experts and canine squads have been pressed into action.
Earlier Report
Kasargod: Madrasa teacher's throat slit - body found in city outskirts
Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)
Kasargod, Mar 21: The body of a Madrasa teacher was found at Halechoori in Battampare in the outskirts of the city in the wee hours of Tuesday March 21. The victim, identified as Riyaz (34), a native of Madikeri, was found to have been killed by slitting his throat. Riyaz was a teacher of Ijjattul Islam Madrasa here.
Riyaz, teaching at the Madrasa located next to Muhayuddin Jumma Masjid at Halechoori, was serving here since the last nine years. He was found murdered in the residential accommodation provided to him by the side of the mosque. It is learnt that Riyaz and Khateeb, Abdul Azeez, used to stay in adjacent rooms. At around 12.15 am on Tuesday, Azeez heard loud cries. When he opened the door of his room to look what was going on, stones were pelted at him. Therefore, he immediately shut the door of his room.
The Khateeb then went to the mosque by using the internal link and used the microphone to alert the local residents about the incident. When local people rushed to the mosque and went to see what had happened, they found Riyaz's body lying in a pool of blood in his room. It is suspected that the murderers, who were two in numbers, would have arrived in a motor bike before killing the teacher and escaping.
Police personnel from the town station led by deputy superintendent of police, V Sukumaran, and police circle inspector, Abdul Rahman, rushed to the spot upon getting the information. Northern range additional deputy inspector general of police, Rajesh Diwan, and inspector general of police, Mahipal yadav, have reached the spot and guided the investigation.
The body was sent to Pariyaram Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
The Muslim League has given a call for Hartal from 6 am to 6 pm on Tuesday within Kasargod assembly constituency, in protest against the murder.
The police have undertaken intensive investigation. They have been putting together video footage from CCTVs installed in the neighbourhood for possible clues. The police have taken precautionary measures to stop the culprits from fleeing the state. All the police stations have been alerted about the incident.