Shabeer was on the executive committee of the temple’s festivities.
By Dileep Thekkethil
When Shabeer, a 21-year-old Muslim man was elected as the executive committee member of the annual festival of a Shiva temple in Thiruvananthapuram, nobody thought this will inadvertently cause his death.
According to police, the Muslim youth was murdered by a four-member gang after he intervened in a dispute over an elephant running amok during the festival last year. The video of the gang attacking Shabeer had earlier gone viral on social media.
Following the untoward incident, the office bearers of the temple decided to blow the conch and ring the bell to pay tribute to Shabeer, adding, the temple has cancelled two days of puja. The temple, which usually conducts five pujas a day, didn’t offer any pujas after the morning “darshan” for the last two days.
Unni, a member of the executive committee in which Shabeer was a member was quoted by The Indian Express saying, “It was a friendship beyond religion, we never considered Shabeer as a Muslim in the temple committee.
“Shabeer was the most active member of our committee. This time, I had gone out only for a day to collect provisions from houses for the annadanam (offering of food). But Shabeer was out collecting rice and coconuts for a whole week,” added Unni.
The temple authorities also said that they have cancelled the “annadanam”, a 10-day festival, which is scheduled to commence on February 9.
“Shabeer was a religious Muslim who loved our activities and took part in them sincerely. We always considered him as one among us and included him in the festival committee two years ago,” said C Gouri Chandra, convenor of the committee to New Indian Express.
“Since the priest wanted the temple to be opened, we did so on Monday and Tuesday but suspended the pujas. There was no blowing of the conch or the ringing of bells in those days. In the evenings too, the temple opened but did not offer any puja,” added Chandra.
According to police, Shabeer was a witness in a case that involved the four youth who allegedly pricked the tail of an elephant that ran violently during last year’s festival.
According to reports, Shabeer has been struggling hard to make both ends meet to support his family, including his mother and two younger brothers. His father had abandoned the family.
The Panchayat member of the area surrounding the temple, M Lalija, said Shabeer didn’t face any opposition from his mosque for getting involved in temple activities.
Police arrested the four-member gang who attacked Shabeer. They reportedly confessed to the crime, which according to police was the culmination of the “grudge” between two sides. Shabeer was earlier linked with a petty criminal case, the police added.
Police also added that the culprits who were arrested committed the gruesome murder under the influence of alcohol. They are also investigating whether the arrested youth used drugs as some of the residents had complained of increased activities of drug peddlers in the area.
Puthennada Shiva temple was consecrated in early 20th century by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru who preached the concept of one caste, one religion and one god. The temple is owned by a trustee of 10 families.
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