KOCHI: The death of Mubarak, 24, has dealt a crushing blow to his family. His 70-year-old mother, wife Sana Fathima and one-year-old son Ibrahim are now clueless about their future, having lost their sole breadwinner. Mubarak lost his father when he was in Class V and completed his schooling till Class X while staying at an orphanage at Vadanappally in Thrissur. He then dropped out of school to look after his family and toiled day and night, working as a mediator and helping car owners lease out their vehicles.
It was Mubarak who had helped Mala native Ashraf to lease out his four-wheeler for Rs 1.5 lakh for three years. However, the youth who leased the car refused to return it after the period expired, which led to a stand-off. “The family of Mubarak lived in a building owned by Mavinchuvadu Masjid. They had shifted to a rented house at Manjali just a month ago,” said Aboobaker, a relative of Nadirsha, the youth who was injured in the attack.
“Mubarak received Rs 1,000 as commission for facilitating car owners lease out a vehicle. He did not have any criminal antecedents,” said Aboobaker. He said Mubarak had been under pressure to ensure the return of Asharaf’s car.
“When the youth who leased the car refused to return it, an altercation broke out between the gang members and Nadirsha, which led to the attack on Mubarak,” he said.“The incident is shocking. Though Mubarak had left the school after completing Class X, he was active in our WhatsApp group,” said Shuhaib, of Olavakkode, a friend of the youth.