Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national secretary Abdussamad Samadani, MLA, was injured in an attack by a man during a reconciliation talk at his house over a mosque issue on Friday.
His attacker, Pulikkal Kunhava, 65, who suffered stab wounds on his right hand, was arrested. The police had no explanation how Kunhava suffered a 7-cm stab wound.
P. Mohanakrishnan, chief executive officer of MIMS, who examined Mr. Samadani, said the MLA suffered a nasal bone fracture and a wound on the bridge of the nose. He said the injury was not serious and he could go home by Saturday.
Mr. Samadani said he was attacked unexpectedly by Kunhava with a knife.
The attack was the fallout of a family feud over the management of the Kuttippuram Alinchuvadu Juma Masjid near Kottakkal.
Two brothers of the Pulikkal family (Aboobacker, 55, and Abdu, 45) had been stabbed to death at the mosque soon after Juma prayers on August 29, 2008, in the rivalry with the Amariyil family.
Mr. Kunhava, brother of those killed, came to Mr. Samadani’s house at Chenakkal, near Kottakkal, around 8 a.m. on Friday along with four others – Pulikkal Koyamon, Pulikkal Hameed, Madakkan Razak, and Kalodi Muneer – to find a solution to the feud.
According to the MLA, Kunhava called him into a room during the talks, bolted the door, and attacked him with a knife. Mr. Samadani said he escaped from the knife attack “because of the prayers and love of the people”.
A strong posse of police was deployed at Kottakkal and neighbouring regions as rumours spread of a possible retaliatory attack against the Pulikkal family. The IUML took out demonstrations through Kottakkal and Edarikode towns condemning the attack on the MLA.
