In Bihar’s Kauakol, Nawada, on December 24, 70-year-old Mohammad Sajjad Ali, the muezzin and secretary of a mosque was brutally killed with a heavy iron rod while he was on his way back home from namaz (prayer). During this attack, three Muslim men and a woman were also severely injured.
The rod was hit on his head resulting in his immediate death; he was then taken and thrown on the road.
Speaking to the media, Sajjad’s son-in-law said, “He was a good man who was returning home without bothering anyone, they dragged and kept hitting him so hard that he eventually passed away.”
“A simple man who prayed at the Masjid, called people to prayer was brutally murdered. This is unacceptable in society,” he added.
The injured are said to be admitted to a hospital in Patna. The photo of one of the injured shows severe scars on the face. As stated by the deceased’s son-in-law, one of the injured is in the ICU.
The attack came after a dispute over the construction of a Panchayat Government Bhawan.
Recalling the dispute, his son-in-law commented, “Two days before, a complaint was filed against the accused after the dispute, but unfortunately the SHO overlooked the situation and no cognizance was taken against them. If the SHO had taken action against them earlier, the murder wouldn’t have happened.”
The police have arrested 9 people. The accused are identified as Dilip, Shyam Sundar, Shiv Shankar and others.
