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Journalism of Courage
Three contract killers from Kerala have been sentenced to death by a sharia court in Sharjah for murdering an NRI from the state. The man,also an NRI,who hired the killers was sentenced to 15 years in jail. Two other NRIs from Kerala,who helped with the crime got five years in jail.
Small-time entrepreneur T Manoj,a native of Koilandi in Kozhikode,was stabbed to death by Kasargode-based killers,M Sakkaria,K T Basheer and T K Anvar,on 17 June,2008. They were hired by Manojs cousin K Veerendrakumar. Business rivalry is said to be the motive behind the murder.
Manoj was working as a manager with wholesale carrybag dealer Veerendrakumar in Sharjah since 2003. The rift between the two began when Manoj demanded better salary after his marriage. Veerendrakumar was reluctant to agree to the pay hike,forcing Manoj to return home.
However,after some time he went back to Sharjah and along with one K Rajeevan started his own carrybag business.
Veerendrakumar developed grudge towards Manoj,who outsmarted his former employer in business. There had been instances of scuffles between them in Sharjah, said Gangadharan,Manojs father-in law.
Gangadharan said Veerendrakumar hired some persons to attack Manoj when he came home in April 2008,but Manoj was not harmed and he returned to Sharjah a month later. Veerendrakumar then hired the three killers and flew them to Sharjah on a visit visa. They approached Manoj as customers and became acquainted with him.
On the night of June 17,the three took Manoj and his Rajeevan out on the pretext of business talks and stabbed them. Manoj died,but Rajeeven survived and carried forward the case. The assailants and the conspirator were arrested soon after.
Gangadharan said he would have been happy if Veerendrakumar was also sentenced to death. We know that the families of the accused would approach us to pardon them to escape capital punishment. We are firm that they should get the maximum punishment because the murder had not been an outcome of an accidental flare-up. Our loss is irreperable. Manojs two sons,both under ten years of age,believe their father is still in Gulf, Gangadharan said.
