Kasargod district tense after Madrasa teacher murder

Kasargod: The Kasargod district administration and the police are on their toes to rein in communally sensitive rumours that are doing he rounds in the aftermath of the murder of Madrasa teacher Riyas Maulavi in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The move comes amid the state leadership of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and local factionaries of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and its youth wing Youth League branding Hindu right wing groups as the culprits. Along with this, social media is abuzz with posts arguing for revenge and counter-attacks.

Kasargod collector K. Jeevan Babu appealed to the people not to go by the rumours. “The police investigation is in the right direction,” he said. “Hate posts and rumours will instigate trouble and those who are behind such posts will be booked.”

Police sources said that they are yet to arrive at a communal motive behind the incident. “We have just started off,” said Kannur crime branch SP Dr A. Srinivas who heads the special investigation team. “We have not come across a specific motive and all possibilities are open for probe.”  

The team inspected the murder site at old Choori in Kasargod on Wednesday. According to sources, the Issathul Islam Madrasa and the mosque were situated in a remote place and the culprits cannot commit the crime without support from local residents. “Possibilities of personal revenge against the Maulavi are also being probed. A team will visit his native place in Madikeri to collect details,” a police source said.

Another area of inquiry is connected to the slugfest between two sects of Sunni group. The slain Madrasa teacher belonged to a Sunni group while the mosque where he worked was under the rival group. There is a deep rift between the two sects in Kasargod.

According to police, Riyas Maulavi was neither a fierce advocate on religious matters or had any issues with people in the area where he had been working since 2010.