• In 2001, Sathyaseelan was murdered by nine Al Umma members for “having contacts with a Muslim woman.”

• Two months ago, three youths, all Al Umma sympathizers, were arrested after they threatened another single woman in the town “on suspicion” that she was having an “illicit” relationship with a married man. “They snatched her mobile phone and extorted Rs. 1,000 from her and told her to behave herself,” says Inspector Stanley Jones, the investigating officer in the Mumtaz murder case.

The Melapalayam town chief, Khaludeen, felt the youths should have brought the case before the local Jamaat. “Only a year back we threw a woman out of the town with her seven-month-old baby boy whom she begot through an illicit relationship,” he said.

According to him, the married man accused of getting her pregnant, had “sworn” on Allah that he was not responsible. “Once a man swears on Allah, we believe him,” said Khaludeen. But the woman had to leave the town.

Said Dr Bhagat Singh, the TMMK’s district secretary: “The youths (accused of killing Mumtaz) should not have taken law into their hands. They read the Quran and make their own interpretations. To prevent such incidents, the Government should introduce the practice of stoning immoral women to death. Many Middle-East countries follow this practice and keep women under check. That’s the only way to handle such issues.”

Two days after Mumtaz’s murder, the police arrested S Rasool Moideen (22), Shahul Hameed (21), his brother K Noushad Ali (19), K Imran (19), Mohamed Hussain alias Allappa (23) and Mohamed Moideen, all from Melapalayam. Two of them are college students. The police are searching for Shahul Hameed (27), who is said to be the mastermind.

... contd.