KOCHI: Gulzar Hussain says he regrets the day he first met Asafak Alam, who has been accused of raping and murdering a five-year-old girl in Choornikkara, Aluva. A native of Assam, Gulzar was assaulted by local residents who had gathered near the house of the victim on Saturday.
“I didn’t know the accused. He arrived at the chicken meat processing centre where I work on July 22 carrying a bag and mat and seeking accommodation. He spoke fluent Bengali. I helped him get a room near the victim’s house. He told me that he had come to Aluva looking for work at construction sites. Besides arranging the room, I have no role in the case,” Gulzar implored.
Gulzar was grilled by police from 8 PM on Friday to 4 AM on Saturday. “It was from the police that I came to know that the accused was actually from Bihar. I have been heckled and physically abused by people who believe that I am linked to Asafak,” he said.
Gulzar said he was the first to inform the father of the victim after he noticed Asafak and the child at the railway gate near their house headed towards Aluva on Friday. “If I was involved why would I make the call, which instigated a search for the child.
I never imagined that he was abducting her. As they were neighbours, I thought a good rapport had developed between Asafak and the victim’s family,” he said. As TNIE was speaking to Gulzar on Saturday afternoon, a police team arrived and took him for more interrogation. Local residents, however, have their doubts about Gulzar. Ward councillor Ruby Jiji demanded a thorough investigation into his links with Asafak. “If he didn’t know the accused why would he arrange the accommodation,” she said.