Virtual bandh after murder

Hours after JD(S) corporator 'Dewana' Mohammad Ali was murdered, his ward in Yarabnagar was brought to a complete standstill. A somber mood permeated the funeral procession.


Final goodbye: Chota Makan burial ground at Double Road where the
body was taken for burial. Pic/Sanjay MD

Cops showed up in full force yesterday evening after about 1,000 mourners flooded the streets of Yarabnagar to ensure that violence does not break out amid the bandh-like atmosphere.

MiD DAY spoke to Ali's younger brother Akbar who lambasted cops for not providing security before his death.u00a0 "He was attacked only four days ago and no one did anything about that," he rued.

Akbar added, "My brotheru00a0 never raised his voice against anyone. He wasn't a thug like people call him."u00a0
Syed Rasul, president, Masjid Quba, said, "I saw him just before he was killed. It was a complete shock to hear about his death."

Residents in the area admitted they didn't feel safe even though cops had arrived to watch the situation.
Many top officials visited the spot, including Mayor S K Nataraj. "We will provide a relief fund to the family
members."

We visited Yarabnagar past midnight and found that cops were still keeping a watch on the area.
A police officer at the scene, said, "We're just taking precautions. We don't expect anything to happen."