Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Mar 29: A Congress activist was found hanging in the kitchen of his house at Adyarkatte on Monday March 28 morning. His family members have suspected this to be a case of murder.

The deceased is Iqbal (36), son of the late Hasanabba from Valachchil in the taluk. 

Iqbal, a native of Valachchil, was living in a house in Adyarkatte after marriage with wife and two children. He was an avid activist of Congress party, and had actively participated in electoral campaigning during the recent zilla and taluk panchayat elections.

Iqbal's wife and children had gone to a place near Ujire a week back in connection with functions related to a marriage there. Iqbal was alone in his house during this period. Iqbal's wife grew restless after finding that Iqbal was not responding to calls made to his cellphone since Sunday morning, and his phone remained switched off since that night. She returned home with children on Monday morning and found that the front door was bolted from inside. As the rear door was not bolted from inside, she entered the house and was dumbfounded to see that Iqbal's body was hanging from a rope in the family kitchen.

Kankanady station police, who rushed to the spot after being alerted, shifted the body to district Wenlock Hospital.

The family members say that both the legs of Iqbal were in contact with the ground, and blood stains were found in the trousers and hand. A wound was found at the neck region. Although there is no footwear near the body or Iqbal's legs, there are marks made out of roaming around with footwear on inside the house. Therefore, the family members have claimed this to be a case of murder.

On the basis of suspicion of murder as expressed in a complaint filed by Iqbal's brother, Shamir, police have taken up investigation.