KALPETTA/MALAPPURAM: Muhammed Ashraf Moochikkadan, 38, who was lynched by a mob during a cricket match in Mangaluru on Sunday, was buried at his hometown in Malappuram on Wednesday, even as his death triggered a political storm in Karnataka.
Ashraf was buried at Cholakund Juma Masjid near Kottakkal. As many as 20 people have been arrested in Karnataka in connection with the incident. Ashraf’s family has demanded a comprehensive investigation into his death. The Karnataka police have been unable to unearth the motive behind his lynching.
In Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters on Wednesday that an investigation was on.
“Anyone speaking in favour of Pakistan is wrong. It amounts to treason,” Siddaramaiah said, referring to allegations that Ashraf was killed for raising pro-Pakistan slogans during the match.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said during interrogation, the accused persons told the police that they assaulted the person for raising pro-Pakistan slogans. However, the SDPI in Karnataka termed his statement as baseless and demanded his resignation.
Ashraf, who hailed from the Parappur area of Kottakkal in Malappuram, used to live in Pulpally, Wayanad, where his elder brother, Abdul Hameed, runs a wholesale shop. His younger brother, Muhammed Jabbar, said Ashraf had mental health issues since he was a teenager and had been away from home for years.
Ashraf visited his mom last month, left after 2 days
As to why Ashraf was in Mangaluru, Jabbar said he had gone there to start a business and was engaged in collection and sale of scraps. The family said they had taken Ashraf to hospitals in Thodupuzha, Tirur, Kuthiravattom and Perumpilavu for treatment for mental health issues. He was last admitted in 2019. “He was admitted to hospitals for treatment several times. Later, he went to Mangaluru to start his business. He was not in regular touch with us,” said Jabbar, who stays in Ernakulam.
Ashraf had visited his mother in Pulpally last month after many years and left after staying for two days. The family had been in the dark about Ashraf’s whereabouts until they received calls from the Kerala and Karnataka police on Tuesday asking them to go to Mangaluru to identify the body.
Saying that the family was shocked by Ashraf’s death, Jabbar asserted that they needed clarity on many things from the Karnataka police. “We demand a comprehensive inquiry. We still don’t know how the argument started and ended in mob lynching. There are rumours Ashraf raised pro-Pakistan slogans during a cricket match. But we were not told about it,” he said.
(With inputs from Bengaluru and Mangaluru)