Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (MS)
Kasargod, Dec 5: The death of an NRI entrepreneur, which occurred 1.5 years ago under the jurisdiction of Bekal police station, has been confirmed as murder. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested four individuals, including three women, in connection with the case.
The deceased, M C Abdul Gafoor Haji (55), a resident of Poochakkad, was allegedly murdered by Shamima (38) and her husband Ubaid (40), residents of Kulikunnu, along with Ansifa (34) of Poochakkad and Ayesha (40) of Madhoor.
M C Abdul Gafoor Haji
The accused reportedly looted 596 sovereigns of gold from Abdul Gafoor by exploiting his belief in black magic, under the pretext of doubling the gold. When Abdul demanded the return of his gold, the gang murdered him.
The murder occurred on April 14, 2023, when Abdul was alone at his home. His wife and children had gone to visit relatives and, upon their return, found Abdul dead. Initially presumed to be an unnatural death, Abdul was buried without suspicion. However, the family later discovered that 596 sovereigns of gold were missing from the house. Abdul’s son, Ahmed Musammil, promptly filed a complaint with the Bekal police and raised the issue with the chief minister.
The SIT began efforts to trace the missing gold, some of which is believed to have been sold to three gold traders. Investigations led Bekal police to exhume Abdul Gafoor’s body on April 27, 2023, for a post-mortem, which revealed severe head injuries, confirming the murder.
Ahmed suspected Shamima and her second husband Ubaid due to their involvement in black magic. This suspicion prompted the formation of the SIT, which interrogated over 40 individuals, including family members, locals, and action committee members. The investigation uncovered significant bank deposits in the accounts of Shamima’s accomplices and retrieved WhatsApp chats between Abdul and Shamima.
Evidence also revealed that Shamima had previously taken Rs 10 lac in cash and gold ornaments from Abdul under false pretences. Abdul Gafoor, a prominent businessman, owned several supermarkets and industries in Gulf countries.