Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (SP)
Sullia, May 1: Waheeda Ismail and her husband, Ismail Nelyamajalu, were stabbed in broad daylight at Gandhinagar in the town on Wednesday April 30 afternoon. It is said that long-lasting enmity with a person over land and other disputes was behind this incident.
Accused Siddique
Ismail is a Congress leader of repute, while Waheeda is current member and past president of Bellare gram panchayat and former member of Karnataka State Labour Board. Both of them suffered serious injuries, and were shifted to a hospital here for treatment.
It is gathered that Waheeda, who functions as a director of Sullia Minorities Multipurpose Cooperative Society, had attended a meeting of the society on Wednesday. Before returning home, she got down from the car to hand over a photo to the society, when she came under attack from a person identified as Siddique, it is learnt. Waheeda, who was taken aback at this sudden development, shouted for help, at which people gathered at the spot.
Seeing that Ismail was sitting in a nearby shop, Siddique rushed there and allegedly stabbed him. Siddique kept the people who tried to overpower him at bay, by menacingly wielding his knife in the air. Those in the shop tossed coconuts, stones etc at Siddique, before a youth caught hold of him. The policemen were alerted, and Siddque was arrested.
It is said that Siddque repeatedly shouted at the couple during the assault for turning his life hellish by filing cases against him repeatedly. Ismail, who suffered a number of injuries, was shifted to a hospital in Mangalore after providing first aid at the government hospital here. Waheeda, who suffered injuries to her chest, was admitted into KVG Medical College Hospital here, where she underwent surgery. After the surgery, she too was taken to Mangalore for advanced treatment.
Puttur deputy superintendent of police, H D Mendonca, visited the spot and conducted spot inspection, accompanied by the local police circle inspector, B S Satish, and station house officer, Ravi B N.
Sullia block Congress president, M Venkappa Gowda and other leaders have condemned the attack on two Congress leaders.
Their assailant, Siddique M R from Bellare Melinapete, runs a hotel in Goa. He had visited his native place to cast his vote in the recently held election, it is gathered. Siddique and Ismail couple were very close in the past, but it is said they turned hostile against each other on account of some cases including land disputes. It is said that Siddique already faces two earlier cases.