KASARGOD: Aboobaker Siddique was stabbed to death, allegedly by BJP-RSS workers, when he questioned their public drinking at Sonkal near Uppala. DySP M V Sukumaran said two persons — Ashwanth, 36, alias Aachu, and Karthik, 30, of Shantigiri near Kumbla — had been arrested in connection with the crime. Coastal inspector Sibi Mathew, who is part of the investigating team, said both the accused were workers of the BJP-RSS combine. “We are not yet ruling out any political angle,” he said. The officer said the accused were being questioned to find out if more persons were involved in the crime.
According to preliminary investigation, Siddique, who was returning home around 11 pm on Sunday, confronted a gang that was allegedly drinking publicly at Sonkal. “He reportedly asked them to stop, and in the ensuing scuffle, Ashwanth stabbed him,” the officer said. The DySP said the knife used in the crime had been recovered, and a motorcycle too had been impounded. “The knife used in the crime could be around five to six inches long,” he said. Siddique died on the way to hospital.
Ten days ago, Siddique returned from Qatar, where he was helping his brother run a restaurant.
The police had formed a 15-member special team led by Kasargod DySP M V Sukumaran to investigate the case.The person who allegedly stabbed Aboobaker Siddhique is the relative of a district-level BJP leader, said CPM sources.
BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, who was in Kasargod, condemned the killing, and said violence was not a solution to any problem. “As far I understand, a precious life was lost over liquor. It was not a political murder or inspired by politics. The CPM is the ruling party. A Muslim brother lost his life. And so the party will try to make political gains out of it. There is no need to give it a political colour,” he said, adding that the law should take its course.
Hartal throws normal life out of gear in Manjeshwaram taluk
Kasargod: The hartal called by the CPM to protest against the murder of its activist Aboobaker Siddique in Manjeshwaram taluk was total, said party sources.Untoward incidents were reported from several areas, said the police. Though the hartal was planned to be imposed from 2 pm on Monday, shops and schools remained shut since morning.
A few shops that opened in Uppala and Kumbla were forced to be shut down by the protesters. Bus service was stalled at Bandiyod, Uppala and Mallankai. Miscreants threw stones at a passenger bus run by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. “The windscreen of the bus was broken and driver Jamal was injured inthe attack,” said an officer. The driver was admitted to a local hospital. Schools in the taluk were given holiday anticipating trouble.