Kerala youth killing: Locals mount vigil, caution against misreading situation
Thiruvananthapuram: Evening news bulletins on Monday showing the fatal bludgeoning of a Muslim youth, were ripe stuff for a communal flare-up. But the youth had lived as if he belonged to no particular community. He was a member of the Bodeswaram temple festival executive committee at Puthen Nada, Vakkom, 35 km from here, for two years.
The police was aware that 23- year-old M V Shabeer, was not the victim of a communal clash though assassins were non-Muslims. He paid with his life for standing up to the mischief of the main assailant, who had pricked the tail of an elephant at the Bodeswaram temple festival last March.
Shabeer believed it was his duty to ensure nothing untoward happened at the festival.
Also read: Kerala temple cancels daily rituals to mourn death of Muslim youth
Another youth, seriously injured along with Shabeer, was Unnikrishnan. But the police didn’t want to take chances at a time when drunken brawls and petty squabbles acquired communal overtones. Police pickets were already in place even before the visuals had gone viral.
The local people mounted a vigil along with the police and cautioned politicians and other sectarian elements against misreading the situation. Temple committee members took the lead in carrying the body from the ambulance to the victim’s residence near the temple. The temple suspended pujas for two days to mourn the death.
B Sathyan, MLA, told DC that Shabeer’s house was so close to the temple that the sole access was through the temple premises. Shabeer used to be an active organizer of the festival and ran errands for whoever had a need.
Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other communities and sub-castes share the land and mundane responsibilities. The State’s secular ethos prevails against communal inroads. Village temples are not sectarian enclaves. Hindus make offerings at church processions and Muslim families line up the temple processions to pay obeisance. Shabeer lived this tradition.
