Kundapur: Attempt to Set Fire to Madrassa

The Hindu

Udupi, Mar 19: Some unidentified persons allegedly attempted to set fire to the Noorul Islam Madrassa at Parampalli-Padukere, coming under the Kota police station limits in Udupi district.

The Kota police said on Wednesday that the president of the madrassa, Bhasha Sahib, had lodged a complaint at the police station stating that he was sleeping in a room next to the madrassa on Tuesday night, while the teacher, Maulvi Umarul Farook Charmady, was sleeping inside the madrassa with two students.

Case registered

When Charmady opened the door of the madrassa at around 4 am he found that the door had been blackened by fire. A bottle half-filled with petrol was found nearby. A case has been registered. Security has been provided to the madrassa, the police said.

Asked when the miscreants might have attempted to set fire to the madrassa, the Kota police said that the incident could have taken place between 8.30 pm on Tuesday and 4 am on Wednesday.

The Additional Superintendent of Police of Udupi district, Kashinath Talkeri, also confirmed the incident and said that investigations were going on.

Teacher’s version

Speaking to The Hindu over the telephone, Charmady said that a window of the madrassa had also been blackened from the fire. Charmady said, “Our madrassa has only one entrance. The miscreants wanted to finish us off,” he said.

“We have been saved by the grace of Allah. If the door had caught fire, there would have been no means of escape for us. We are frightened by the incident,” he added.