16-year-old held for aiding retired SI’s murder in Tirunelveli
On March 18, the fateful day, the boy informed the killers on his cell phone that the retired cop had left the mosque after completing prayers;
CHENNAI: In a major development in the case of the recent murder of Jahir Hussain Bijli (60) of Thadi Veeran Kovil Street, Tirunelveli Town, a juvenile was arrested on Saturday.
Bijli was hacked to death in a land dispute with Thowfiq. The incident occurred in the early morning of Tuesday when he was returning home after offering namaz. Tirunelveli Town police filed a case following the murder.
Hours after the murder, S Karthik (32) of North Street, Palkattalai, and M Akbar Sha (32) of Thottipalam Street, Tirunelveli Town surrendered before Judicial Magistrate-III in Tirunelveli.
Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli City, Santosh Hadimani, when contacted, said the juvenile is a Class 11 student and a relative of Akbar Sha. Four persons including the key accused Mohammed Thowfiq alias Krishnamurthy have been arrested so far.
Meanwhile, Izzur Rahman Bijli, son of the deceased, posted a message that went viral on social media. In the message, he said his family at Katchi Mandapam in Tirunelveli is still feeling unsafe as strangers were keeping an eye on the house. Bijli feared he could be the next target.
He said that the police personnel are in favour of the accused as Noor Nisha, wife of Mohammed Thowfiq has not been arrested so far. He further said that only after the family members refused to accept Thowfiq’s body in demand for action against the Tirunelveli Town Inspector of Police and the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thowfiq was arrested.
Both officials who had been suspended should be dismissed from service, Bijli was quoted as saying.
The Commissioner of Police said armed police personnel have been deputed in front of the victim’s house.
P Abdul Samad, state general secretary of Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and president of Tamil Nadu State Haj Committee met the aggrieved family and consoled them.
Talking to reporters, he said the state government should provide victim compensation and also offer a permanent job to a member of the family.