The Hindu : Govt. takes over Marad mosque

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Govt. takes over Marad mosque

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE MAY 8. The District Administration today took over the control of the Marad Juma Masjid from where a large cache of arms were seized by the police during its investigation into the massacre on May 2.

The take-over of the mosque was ordered by the Collector, T. O. Sooraj, on a request from the Commissioner of Police, T. K. Vinod Kumar, under Section 27 of the Kerala Police Act. The orders will be in force for 15 days from today. It will be reviewed and extended, if required.

This is the first time in recent years a place of worship, especially a mosque, has been taken over by the official machinery to prevent riots and maintain communal harmony, official sources said.

From now on, the entry to the mosque will be strictly restricted.

Believers attached to the local mahal committee will be allowed to offer prayers after getting the prior approval of the Tahsildar to enter the mosque. People from outside Marad will be denied entry into the mosque. After the May 2 carnage, no one has entered the mosque to offer prayers.

The faithful will also have to produce proof that they belong to the local mahal and that they do not have any criminal background. No one will be allowed to remain in the mosque for more time than what is necessary to offer prayer. Cleaning the premises and the interiors will be undertaken only with the assistance of the police.

As part of the procedure of the take-over of the mosque, the Kozhikode Tahsildar, P. Koya Kutty, along with three other village officers, visited the shrine and recorded a list of movable and immovable properties inside the place of worship.

The doors of the mosque have also been locked.

Search continues

Meanwhile, the police continued search operations at various places on the beach on Thursday. Eight country-made petrol bombs were recovered from the compound of Thekkayapurathu Mammed Koya, father of Aboobacker Koya, who was hacked to death in the communal riots in January 2002.

The bombs were found buried inside a bucket in a shed adjacent to the house. A cycle chain was also recovered from the house.

A gelatine bomb, a sword and a rapier were seized from the house of Arayanveethil Zacharia. The explosive material was found buried on the premises of the house and the weapons in the terrace of his house. The deadly weapons and explosive materials were recovered using metal-detectors.

The police have stepped up security measures on the beach.

As many as 17 police pickets have been posted in various areas. Eight mobile squads and a bomb squad have been engaged in surveillance activity. A police flag march was also taken out along the coastal belts from Vellayil to Puthiyappa. All the abandoned houses have been locked by the police to prevent looting.

The Crime Branch sleuths are going ahead with the interrogations of those taken into custody. About 35 persons reported to be members of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress, having strong links with the National Development Front (NDF) are now in custody. Among them is Moideen Koya, ward member of Beypore grama panchayat.

Reliable sources said that the investigating officers were under pressure to hush up evidence pointing to the alleged involvement of a leader of a political party in the incident. The key accused in the ghastly crime, including Mohammed Ali, Bijili and Abdulla Koya, were still at large, police sources said.

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