Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)
Kasargod, Dec 29: A general strike was observed in the jurisdiction of Manjeshwar assembly constituency on Sunday December 28, in the backdrop of the death of Abdul Sattar Sonkal(31), a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader and member of Mangalpady gram panchayat on the night of Saturday. Sattar had been admitted into a private hospital in Mangalore, after being attacked by a gang of miscreants on December 21.
Sattar was returning home in his motor bike after taking part in the DYFI district conference held at Bovikkana on the night of December 21, when a gang of persons armed with lethal weapons attacked him. Local people had carried him to the hospital, where he was kept in the intensive care unit. He never gained consciousness even after two surgeries were conducted in an attempt to revive him. He continued to be in serious condition on account of a fatal injury caused to the back of his head. He slipped into coma on Friday and died on Saturday night. He is survived by wife Amina, children Fatimat Sabah(8) and Moidin Shaaj (3).
DYFI had called for the bundh to condole the death of Sattar. Vehicles did not move on the highway and shops and establishments remained closed in most of the villages. Even the buses stayed off the roads from 9 am to 6 pm on Sunday. Vehicular traffic on Mangalore-Kasargod route too remained suspended throughout the day.
The body of Sattar was kept for public viewing at PKG Hall of Hosangady. Thereafter, the body was kept in Uppal town for enabling the locals to pay their last respects, before taking it home. Funeral was conducted at Uppal Mannanguli mosque. MLA C H Kunhambu, K P Sathishchandran and other dignitaries were present.
The policemen have no clue so far on the purpose for the attack and the identity of the attackers. Sattar remained in an unconscious state till his death. The strike remained peaceful except for in incident in which a gang attacked and ransacked a foot wear shop in Hosangady and beat up its staff for not responding to the strike call and keeping the shop open.