One person was killed and two others were injured when a group of armed youth attacked people coming out of Kaduvinal Juma Masjid, Vallikunnam, in the district at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The miscreants damaged the mosque also.
The deceased has been identified as Ashraf (35), Melethundil House, Kaduvinal. The injured are Ibrahim Kutty Musaliyar, Cherumukhom, Vallikunnam, and the Imam of the masjid, Noor Muhammed al Hassani.
According to the police, around ten youth, considered to be supporters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reached the mosque on a jeep and a bike and began the attack. Mr. Ashraf was speaking to the Imam in front of the mosque then. The assailants stabbed Mr. Ashraf and he fell down. He was lying unconscious on the mosque premises when the police came. Though he was taken to Kottayam Medical College he succumbed to his injuries at 1.30 a.m. today. The other injured have been admitted to Mavelikara Government Hospital.
Sequel to earlier attack?
An RSS worker, Rajesh, was attacked by some persons, considered to National Development Front (NDF) sympathisers, at Kaduvinal last week. Vallikunnam police had registered a case in connection with the incident then. Yesterday's attack on the mosque is considered to be a sequel to the incident.
The Vallikunnam police have taken nine persons into custody in connection with the attack.
The body was buried at Kaduvinal Juma Masjid this evening. A large number of people, including political leaders, attended the funeral. A strong police force headed by the Inspector General of Police, T.P. Senkumar, and Alappuzha Superintendent of Police, Mahipal Yadav, is camping in the area.
A hartal called at Vallikunnam and Charumood today by various political parties passed off peacefully.