Tension in Andhra after hate-mongers kill Muazzin in mosque, burn Quran

News Network
December 31, 2017

Tension gripped the city of Rajamundry in Andhra Pradesh after unknown terrorists barged into a mosque, killed a Muazzin (the one who invites the faithful to prayer five times a day through Azaan), burnt copies of Quran and urinated there before vacating the place. 

The incident took place at Noorani Masjid of Lalacheruvu locality where the victim Mohammed Farooq (61), a native of Bihar, was working as a muazzin for the past four months. 

“Farooq was a newcomer to the city and was not known much outside the community. He used to do the chores in the Masjid. He was a kind-hearted person who was leading the life according to the tenets of Islam due to which miscreants targeted him,” said a local resident.

It was the duty of Farooq to give Azaan (call for Namaaz) early in the morning. But on Friday, as there was no sign of Azaan, one of the neighbours went to check and found him lying in a pool of blood. A case of murder was registered but no arrests have been made yet. Police are investigating the case from all angles and have not ruled out any possibility. 

“It’s too early to specify the reason as the investigation is underway, we are looking into the case from all possible angles," said Rajamundry Urban SP, B Rajakumari.

The officer added that a team is working with Bihar authorities to reach out to the victim’s family, all measures are being taken and nothing can be ruled out at this stage." She added that the body has been sent to his home state of Bihar. 

Mohammed Ibrahim Khan, a representative of Muslim rights’ group, Muslim Samakya, said, "Farooq came from a very poor background and was working for a meagre salary of Rs 5,000.”

He said "We aren't naming anyone or any group as of now, but the acts which the miscreants have done following the brutal murder, such as burning of Quran, leaving cigarette butts on the floor along with signs of urination are scary."

He added, "The murder seems to have been done with the ultimate intention of creating conflict and polarisation.”

As the news spread, the city witnessed a spate of protests, with hundreds of Muslim people and civil society groups taking out a rally and holding mass prayers on the road. 

The local residents told that this kind of incident took place for the first time in Rajahmundry. They demanded to arrest the culprits. “The incident shows how communal poison is being spread by Sanghis," tweeted Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. He demanded CM Chandrababu Naidu to take immediate steps to arrest the culprits.

Comments

Mohammad.n
 - 
Monday, 1 Jan 2018

Yogesh you must be ashamed to call yourself hindu, i will personally feel pain even if a innocent hindu gets killed for no reason. But you regardless have zero humanity, heart full of hatred and evil, first love ur religion then hate others, thanks 

True.. Nobody will raise voice for Hindus and Hindu holy books. If anybody is there, then media make him as saffron terrorist

Yogesh
 - 
Sunday, 31 Dec 2017

Unwanted highlights giving to that book burning. If Hindu books burned instead of Quran then no media will cover and no highlight will give to that.

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 13,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 13: 'Karnataka Bandh' call given by various Kannada organisation demanding implementation of Sarojini Mahashi report for ensuring job reservation to local people (Kannadigas) in the Private and government organisation, including industries, evoked mixed response in the State on Thursday.

The Bandh call was given by the “Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota”, comprising a few factions of “Karnataka Rakshana Vedike” (KRV) and was backed by Ola-Uber Cab Drivers’ Association, a few auto unions, farmers’ associations, street vendors association, trade unions and transporters’ associations.

Meanwhile, Airport Taxi Services also supported the Bandh which forced flight passengers to find it difficult in finding the transport for reaching their destination in time. Fortunately, BMTC bus services at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) was available at the Airport.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 14,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 14: Assuring depositors that their money was "100 per cent safe" with the bank, Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank Chairman K Ramakrishna in Bengaluru on Monday said 62 loans had locked up Rs 300 crore of deposit.

"Your money is 100 per cent safe with Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank. It's my responsibility," Ramakrishna said at Sri Guru Narasimha Kalyanamandira auditorium, to assure depositors.

He was addressing angry customers of the bank at a public hearing. Due to the 62 dud loans, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had restricted the lender from executing business, Ramakrishna said amid shouting by depositors. The RBI has limited withdrawals by depositors to Rs 35,000.

"The bank is saying I can't withdraw more than Rs 35,000. In case of our fixed deposit maturing, we will have to renew it as we can't encash it, " said Nagaraj M, 49, who has been dealing with the bank for the past six years.

To assuage customers, the call to an assistant commissioner of police by Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya -- not present -- was relayed on loudspeaker live and the MP claimed that he had spoken to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to help the customers.

Ramakrishna said he would meet customers again on January 19 with all the details and numbers. Dramatic scenes and pandemonium ruled the auditorium before his arrival. Thousands of bank customers threatened to go en masse to the police station and file a case against Ramakrishna.

As he addressed the gathering in Kannada, hundreds of depositors shouted back at him seeking clarifications. At the auditorium, thousands of depositors earlier demanded the bank chairman's presence to clarify the matter.

The lender had invited depositors to the auditorium at 6 p.m. to update them on the bank's status, following a RBI directive restricting the bank from doing business with immediate effect.

"We want the bank's directors here," shouted a depositor from the stage. A handful of policemen were trying to control the crowd and bring order to the assembly. Many elderly and retired persons had arrived to know the fate of their savings. Several women were also present at the meeting.

"It was a good bank with only 0.5 per cent NPAs. Now we can't trust any bank. See what happened with the PMC Bank," said another customer.

Shankar Sharma, 38, an employee of a private company, said majority of depositors were senior citizens and retirees. "I don't have an account with the bank, but my mother, uncle, aunt have deposited money in it. I came for them, " said Sharma. He said many of the bank's 35,000 clientele deposited more than Rs 5 lakh, which had total deposits of Rs 1,600 crore. The bank started operations in 1999.

Ramakrishna was escorted away to safety by the police after his speech even as the depositors were screaming and agitating for justice.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 6,2020

Hubballi, Jan 6: Elected representatives of the BJP, Congress and JD(S) on Sunday decided to sink their differences and fight unitedly for Karnataka’s rightful share in the Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri water dispute with Goa.

The meeting convened by JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti here saw participation of BJP ministers Prahlad Joshi and Jagadish Shettar, Congress and JD(S) lawmakers, among others.

After a 70-minute closed door meeting, MLC Horatti told reporters that they discussed the water dispute in detail and decided to take steps based on inputs from legal and technical experts on the rightful apportioning of water. “Today, we took the first big step towards the overall development of the region, unencumbered by political divisions,” he said.

Though the air was filled with a sense of jubilation as the issue had united seemingly hostile political parties on one side, a few activists expressed disappointment that the meeting failed to set a timeline to resolve the dispute.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.