Ahmed Bashir (47) who was stabbed by a group enraged by the murder of a BJP worker , Deepak Rao, on January 3, died of injuries on Sunday. He was buried at the Muhiyuddin Jumma Masjid, Kulur-Panjimogaru, in the city.
Bashir was preparing to close his eatery at Kottara Chowki here on Wednesday night when four youths reportedly owing allegiance to a Hindu right-wing group attacked him. No one reportedly came to his rescue.
As Bashir lay in a pool of blood, two ambulance drivers, Shekhar and Rohith, shifted him to the nearby A.J. Hospital. He had been battling for life ever since.
Crowd gathers at A.J. Hospital mortuary after hearing about Bashir's death. Mangaluru North MLA B. S. Mohiuddin Bava (in green t-shirt) seen in the photo.
Accused arrested
The accused P.K. Shrijit, 25, and Sandesh Kotian, 22, both from neighbouring Kasaragod district in Kerala, and Dhanush Poojary, 22, and Kishan Poojary, 21, brothers from Padil in Mangaluru, have been arrested. They reportedly confessed to the police that they were enraged on hearing about the killing of Deepak Rao at Katipalla on Wednesday afternoon.
Bashir had been working in Dubai for over two decades. He returned only about a year ago and had started the eatery.
A large crowd gathered on the hospital premises as soon as his death was announced on Sunday morning. The city police had made elaborate security arrangements.
Brother appeals for calm
Bashir’s brother Hakeem appealed to everyone to maintain peace and not harm people belonging to any other faith. The body was taken to his home at Akash Bhavan, from where it was taken for the last rites. The arrival of one of Bashir’s sons, Irfan, from Abu Dhabi, was delayed owing to technicalities of his work contract. Minister U.T. Khader and Mohiuddin Bava, MLA, have sought the External Affairs Ministry’s intervention.
The district administration has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh to the family of Bashir.
