Marad massacre
In January 2002 a sudden breach of the peace happened at Marad beach of the Kozhikode district killing five persons. Three Muslims and two Hindus were murdered. Marad was a place where all community including Hindus and Muslims live in proximity. The police and judiciary didn't do any action against the culprits of the action. One year later eight people were murdered, where 7 of them were Hindu Arayas and one Muslim. [1]
Beginning
On January 3 and 4th in 2002, three Hindus and two Muslims were killed in a fight due to scuffles between the younger groups. The last person killed, a man named Aboobacker, was chopped and hacked to death, as he was trying to bury the dead. The police was present on the spot and they failed to trap the criminals and they stood inactive.[2]. Later on government troops were sent in to patrol this area of hot communal tensions.
Second attack
On May, 2 2003, in the early evening, eight Hindus were hacked to death by a mob on the beach after reeling in their catch for the day. The perpetrators escape easily leading to the conclusion that this was a well-planned attack. Later, the government troops unearthed a huge cache of weapons including 17 bombs [9]. By that point, all Muslims left the area, leading to allegations that they were complicit in the attack, and left before a Hindu backlash. The police commissioner, TK Vinod Kumar stated: "It was an operation carried out by a well-knit organization. It was a quick and sudden attack which was over in 10 minutes. The attack came from a particular community."[10].
The great efforts of individuals like Gopinathan Nair of Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi need to be highlighted for taling initiative that the Marad talks between Hindu and Muslim. [3][4]
Aftermath
The Marad Massacre had caused hundreds of woman and children homeless for the last few years. They are still staying in Refugee Camps where there is no facilities to meet their basic necessities. Nearly 500 Muslim families had to leave their homes for refugee camps when the second Marad incident happened in 2003.[5] The goverment and police are not able to create the feel of security for these people to return to their homes. Most of the men from these families are either flew or kept in Jail where the court is still extending their trail even after four years. It is criticized that this is the most lengthily trial with the jailed person in Indian police history. [6].
On May 3, 2003, the report of a judicial commission of inquiry has concluded, among other things, that the incident was a sequel to the largely politically motivated murder of five persons in the village in January 2002 and a fallout of the then Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government's "unjustified delay" in the prosecution of those accused of the crime. The Joseph Commisson Report [7] implicated the NDF, Muslim League and individuals as involved in the massacre.[citation needed] [8].[5]The Central Bureau of Investigation report found that "activists of IUML and NDF, a Muslim outfit, were actively involved in the massacre" [9].
The Marad Massacre had caused a public uproar against the apathetic approach of the investigating agency and mushrooming of a new breed of religious fundamentalism in the Kerala State. There were persistent demands for a judicial enquiry in the matter, in pursuance whereto, the then UDF government had appointed Thomas.P.Joseph (District & Sessions Judge) as the Commission of Inquiry. He had submitted his report during February 2006 and the LDF ministry tabled the report during September 2006. The report had elucidated that a person known as "F.M." (Finance Minister) had funded for the massacre and also cast aspersions on various political parties and the government officials including the District Collector T.O.Sooraj. Amidst trial of the case, one Edapparuthy Muraleedharan had filed a petition before the trial Court demanding probe against T.O.Sooraj's involvement in the matter. A person named Hilal Mohammed (F.M.) too has filed a petition demanding a probe into his alleged involvement in the matter. Both these petitions were filed through Advocate S.K.Premraj. During hearing, Advocate Premraj submitted that Hilal Mohammed's life is under imminent threat.[5]
Sources
- ^ Marard Incidents [1]
- ^ Marad can yet be retrieved [2]
- ^ A feather in the cap of Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi [3]
- ^ Gandhians to ensure Marad stays off violence[4]
- ^ a b c In the aftermath of Marad [5] Cite error: The named reference "Frontline" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Trouble brewing in district sub-jail [6]
- ^ Joseph Commisson Report [7]
- ^ NDF denies accusation in Marad massacre because of lack of evidences in the report[8]
- ^ Marad massacre: Kerala govt for CBI probe Times of India - September 27, 2006