Muslim youth killed by friends over 'religious differences'

 A 19-year-old man was reportedly stabbed to death by four of his friends here on Friday after he refused to join Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim organisation which follows the Deobandi school of thought.

Luqman, son of Munavar Pasha of the town, was reportedly stabbed to death by Suhel (23), Wasim, Konda Pasha and Khaleel over personal rivalry. Police arrested Suhel but others are at large.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim’s father, the suspects were pestering Luqman, who followed the Barelvi school of thought, to join Tablighi Jamaat. They decided to kill him when he didn’t accede. They stabbed him near a dargah in front of the KSRTC bus depot around 10.30 am. He was taken to a hospital in Mysuru where he died from excessive bleeding.

The murder sparked tension in the town and police were deployed in Muslim neighbourhoods.

Assault on religious head

A few Muslim youths assaulted Asif, the head of Mahmoodiya Mosque, for “instigating” the suspects to induct Luqman into Tablighi Jamaat.

‘Police were negligent’

Luqman’s father said that a clash broke out between Suhel and Luqman on Thursday night and that he had approached the police to take action against Suhel but the police neglected the incident and did not register a case.

MLA K S Puttanaiah and Superintendent of Police C H Sudheer Kumar Reddy visited the spot.