Anwar murder: BJP calls it political killing; family, cops suspect personal rivalry

Chikkamagaluru, Jun 24: Even though the family members of local BJP leader Mohammed Anwar, who was stabbed to death by unknown assailants two days ago, claimed personal rivalry as the reason for the murder, the saffron party suspected a political motive behind it.

Anwar, 44, general secretary of the BJP’s Chikkamagaluru city unit, was attacked by two people on a bike at Gowri Colony around 9.30 p.m on Friday. A seriously injured Anwar was declared dead later in a hospital. Anwar, who was a TV cable operator, is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.

Based on a complaint filed by Anwar’s brother Mohammed Kabir, the Basavanahalli police have registered a case. He has named five people — Yusuf Aji, Mansur, Badru, Tayyub, and Farooq — as suspects in the complaint.

Mr. Kabir told reporters on Saturday he suspected it to be an act of “supari” killers. “The accused had attempted to kill my brother eight years ago. They were all convicted in the case and two of them were still in prison. A month ago, one of the accused, Tayyub, had threatened to kill my brother,” he said. Kabir made it clear that there was no political rivalry between the two. There had been differences over the years between the two families. “My brother had raised voice against corruption in the masjid committee, where the family of the accused had control,” he said.

BJP stages protest

BJP leaders have termed it a political killing. MLA for Chikkamagaluru C.T. Ravi met members of Anwar’s family. “Going by the way he was killed, it looks like it was an act of professional killers. The police should probe if those in prison in the previous assault case hired contract killers for the act,” he said.

BJP workers, led by Mr. Ravi and Lok Sabha member Shobha Karandlaje, staged a protest and submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner M.K. Srirangaiah, demanding immediate arrest of the accused.

Ms. Karandlaje said it was the duty of the police to investigate if it was a murder over personal enmity or political reasons. She said the criminal act had shown that there was no government in the State. “I appeal to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy not to repeat the mistakes committed by his predecessor, Siddaramaiah,” she said.

The police investigating the case have suspected personal rivalry behind the incident. K. Annamalai, Superintendent of Police, Chikkamagaluru, said, “We are investigating the case. We will give details once we crack it.”