MANGALURU: Abdul Basheer (47), who was brutally attacked in revenge for the killing of Bajarang Dal activist Deepak Rao, succumbed to injuries at a private hospital in the city on Sunday morning. The second communal death in just a gap of five days put the district on high alert though no untoward incidents were reported till Sunday evening.
Sources in the hospital said that he died due to multiple organ failures. His vital organs including kidney and liver were severely damaged in the brutal attack carried out by a group of four persons who were said to be previously associated with some right-wing Hindu outfits. Mangaluru South MLA Mohiuddin Bava said a team of doctors tried their best to save Basheer, in vain. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was in the district to launch various developmental works, appealed to people to maintain peace.
Basheer was on his way back home after closing down his eatery when he was attacked. He was not associated with any outfit and reportedly became a target due to communal hatred.
Hundreds of people rushed to AJ Hospital to pay their last respects to Basheer on hearing the news. The grieving family chose not to play into the hands of political parties and other organisations and appealed to people to maintain peace and pray for the departed soul. They decided not to carry out procession from the hospital to their house in Akash Bhavan as there were chances this may trigger violence.
Shifting of the body from the hospital was delayed to suit the timing of the arrival of victim’s son Irshan who had recently got a job in Abu Dhabi. The family was worried over Irshan’s inability to return over some visa issue. However, MLA Bava and others got in touch with the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi to ensure that Irshan did not miss the funeral.
Bava also appealed to the people along with Basheer’s family to maintain peace.
Barring a couple of individuals taking objection to BJP leader Krishna Palemar’s arrival at the hospital to pay his last respects to Basheer, the huge crowd that surrounded Basheer’s body maintained calm till it reached his house, and even after.
The body was shifted to his residence only after his son’s arrival was confirmed. Thousands of people paid their last respects to Basheer at his house and later Jumma Masjid before the burial that took place at Kuloor.
Basheer, who had worked in the Middle East for more than two decades, had returned to his home only last year on the insistence of his family.
With his savings, he had set up an eatery. After his return, his son Irshan went to Abu Dhabi in search of a job a few months ago.
Security was beefed up at the hospital, Kuloor and sensitive areas in the city to prevent any untoward incident.
Three Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) platoons were stationed at Kuluru. ADGP Kamal Pant and Police Commissioner T R Suresh personally oversaw the security
measures.
It was expected that Basheer’s death will not be announced till Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was in the district, launched various developmental works and left the city. But it was announced even before he arrived in the district and cops ensured that everything went smooth.
Basheer had saved his Hindu friend years ago
Abdul Basheer, who was murdered to avenge the killing of a Hindu youth, had many years ago saved the life of his Hindu friend Prabhakar. Basheer and Prabhakar worked togethere in a Gulf country for over 15 years. Later they constructed houses side by side in Akash Bhavan in Mangaluru. A grieving Prabhakar recalled that once a mob of Muslims tried to assault him in the Gulf nation where he worked as a retaliation to communal violence in Mangaluru. “It was Basheer who came to my rescue then. He had warned my attackers not to touch me. Then they backed off. My life was saved,” recalled Prabhakar.