In a string of disturbing incidents, three Islamic clerics have been brutally murdered in Uttar Pradesh over the last four days, raising serious concerns about the region’s security.
The first victim, 65-year-old Maulana Farooq, who ran a madrasa in Kadipur village, was fatally attacked with an iron rod on June 8th. According to police reports, the assailant, Chandramani Tiwari, allegedly perpetrated the crime over a monetary dispute, a claim disputed by the family of the deceased.
Similarly, on morning of June 11, Maulana Akram, the imam of a mosque in Bhensia village, Moradabad District, was shot dead by unidentified assailants.
The perpetrators called Akram out of the mosque and shot him at point-blank range. The discovery of his body in his residence sent shockwaves through the community. Police investigations are ongoing, with Akram’s wife Aamna also being questioned regarding the incident.
The latest tragedy unfolded on June 11th, when Fazlur Rahman, a 50-year-old imam from Balla Majra village, Shamli district, was found murdered.
Rahman, accompanied by his mentally disabled son, had gone to a nearby garden for work but never returned. His decapitated body was later discovered, sparking outrage and further intensifying concerns over the safety of religious leaders in the region.
Among several who visited the family of the deceased was Congress leader, Imran Pratapghari, who expressed sorrow over the deaths and demanded an impartial probe.
Senior police officials have assured tightened security measures in the affected areas as investigations into these horrific crimes continue.