Calicut Masjid Committee official stabbed to death in mosque

By Najiya O., TwoCircles.net,

Malappuram: Secretary of the Masjid Committee at Chathamangalam in Calicut district was stabbed to death yesterday in the masjid compound. Masjid Committee Secretary Seethikoya Haji (66) was murdered at 5 in the morning when he was coming to the mosque for Fajr prayer. The police have begun investigation.

Seethikoya Haji had deep wounds in his neck and back. The attacker had stabbed him at the gate of the Masjid and escaped. Haji’s son and people in the houses nearby came to the place hearing his cry. Though they rushed him to the Medical College, Calicut, his life could not be saved.

The police have not yet got any clue regarding the murderer(s) or the intent behind the heinous crime, supposed to be well-planned and organized. Senior police officers like S.Sreejith, Calicut City Police Commissioner, and Mahesh Kumar Singla, ADGP, came to the place to lead the investigation, with the dog squad. Though a big force of police searched the area, no clues or weapons were found. The police are also probing if the murder is due to any personal revenge or economic reasons.

After postmortem, the body was brought to Haji’s house at around 3 pm. Funeral prayer was held at the Masjid at Chathamangalam. Later the body was taken to the Juma Masjid at Petta in Feroke for burial.

Seethikoya Haji was a native of Petta in Feroke. He shifted to Kundamangalam about 30 years ago. He has been the Secretary of the Masjid Committee of the area for a long time. People remember him as a nice person, not indulging in any sorts of bad activities or scuffles.