Faizal murder: Father files plaint over VHP remarks

Farook, in his complaint to the Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, demanded that police invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Pumpwell and others involved in the murder.

Two days after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharan Pumpwell claimed that members of Hindu organisations killed 23-year-old Mohammed Fazil, the latter’s father has lodged a complaint with the police.

VHP leader Sharan Pumpwell claimed that members of Hindu organisations killed 23-year-old Mohammed Fazil (ANI)

Farook, in his complaint to the Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, demanded that police invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Pumpwell and others involved in the murder.

Speaking at an event organised by Hindu groups in Tumakuru on Sunday, Pumpwell, the provincial secretary of VHP, said that in retaliation to Praveen Nettaru’s murder, Fazil was killed in front of other Muslim youths.

Nettaru (32), a zilla Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha committee member, was hacked to death by unidentified motorbike-borne assailants on July 26 last year at Bellare in Dakshina Kannada district.

Mohammed Fazil, a temporary cleaner at HPCL Bullet tanker, was hacked to death on July 28 in Surathkal.

“We killed Fazil in public view in Surathkal. You must have seen the video of how brutally he was murdered. That is our power,” he said.

Speaking to media persons, Farooq said that he had urged the police to find those behind his son’s murder.

“We had doubts, and now they are clear as Sharan Pumpwell has himself claimed they have killed my son. He should be dealt with strictly. I need justice, and I urge the police to invoke an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case against Sharan,” he said.

The Mangaluru police commissioner confirmed that he received a complaint but didn’t comment on whether a case under UAPA will be registered.

In his speech on Saturday, Pumpwell said that nobody could mess with the Hindus. “Remember the Gujarat incident, when 59 karsevaks were returning from Ayodhya and their compartments were burnt? Also, remember the answer given by the people of Gujarat. None of the Hindus sat at home with their hands tied. They all got down to the streets. They entered each house. Fifty-nine karsevaks were killed, but the count of the number of people killed as revenge is still not available. It is estimated that around 2,000 people were killed. This is the bravery of Hindus,” he said.

The Godhra train burning incident ultimately led to the infamous 2002 Gujarat riots that killed nearly 1,000 Muslims and displaced many.

“Hindu religion does not preach killing people. Using religion as a cover for this hate crime proves the political support these goons enjoy. They have used religion for their nefarious activities earlier too. If the statement would have been issued by a Muslim man by now the state police would have filed a suo moto case. We have failed Faisal and the younger generation,” Lavanya Ballal, a Congress spokesperson, said.

Mangaluru police, probing the murder of 23-year-old Fazil, said that the probe into the case has revealed that the attack was a relation to the killing of BJP leader Praveen Netarru.

Seven people were arrested in connection with the murder of Faizal. Out of which, six -- Suhas Shetty, 29, Mohan Singh, 26, Giridhar, 23, Abhishek, 21, Shrinivas, 23, and Deekshith, 21 -- were directly involved in the murder, said police.

“Except for the one person in the group, others didn’t know who Fazil was,” said a senior officer speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“There are some issues to carrying out his murder, they had alternate targets. The aim was to send a message. We will specify this in the charge sheet,” the officer.

Police said Suhas Shetty met Abhishek on July 26 (the day Nettaru was murdered) and shared his plan to murder someone. On July 27, Shetty met Giridhar at a hotel in Surathkal, where he shared the plan with the latter and said that he had weapons and needed vehicles and manpower. Giridhar called Mohan, who agreed to organise a car, police added.

“On July 27, Mohan got a car from Ajith Crasta, who was assured of ₹15,000 in three days if their plan was successful,” said the officer.

They did not proceed with the task on July 27 as three of the accused did not turn up for a planned meeting. “On July 28, Suhas left early in the morning with weapons to Bantwal’s Karinjeshwar temple, while three other accused had to appear in court. They discussed the court where Fazil’s name was finalised as the target…” he added.

In the evening, all six were left in the car. They made three rounds of the garment shop where Fazil was. Shetty got out of the vehicle along with Mohan and Abhishek and hacked Fazil to death.

“Suhas, Mohan and Abhishek were the assailants, Giridhar was driving the car, Deekshith was seated in the car, while Srinivas tried to protect the accused from the public during the murder. The six accused then escaped towards Palimar. They abandoned the car and escaped in another car to a hideout,” said the officer.