Mob lynching victim Ashraf's house
Credit: DH Photo
Mangaluru: The body of 38-year-old Mohammed Ashraf Pulpally, who lost his life after he was allegedly lynched by a mob in Kudupu recently, was handed over to his relatives after the completion of formalities in the wee hours of Wednesday.
On the directions of Assembly Speaker U T Khader, necessary arrangements were made to perform rituals at the mosque, before the body was handed over to the family.
Local Congress leaders and others assisted the family. Khader also spoke to AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and Wayanad MLA T Siddiquie over the arrangements.
Ashraf’s family has been battling a string of personal disasters.
Three years ago, his family of seven, including two brothers and two sisters had relocated to Sandipany Colony at Pulpally in Sulthan Bathery taluk of Waynad district, after a bank took possession of their house at Kottakkal in Malappuram district, for defaulting on loan repayments.
“My brother Abdul Hameed, had availed a loan to start a business. As the venture failed, he defaulted on repaying loans. Abdul presently owns a petty shop in Pulpally,” said Ashraf’s youngest brother, Abdul Jabbar. Three months ago, Jabbar, a BCom graduate, launched his own app in Kochi.
His two sisters had been married off. Four days before Ashraf’s death, the siblings had lost their maternal grandmother. Ashraf had discontinued studies after SSLC, and since 2005, had been on medication for mental illness. He was a nomadic, preferred to be by himself and meant no harm to others.
“Ashraf did not own a mobile phone and had landed up in Mangaluru. Who knew that his visit to Mangaluru would be the end of his life journey,” said an emotional Jabbar. He also appealed to the police not to arrest innocent persons.
The police arrested five more youth, taking the total arrests to 20.
City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said investigation is on to identify the involvement of others and all accused will be arrested.