Woman killed on suspicion of having ‘illicit relationships’

Mumtaz, separated from her husband, lived on her own in Muslim-dominated Melapalayam town, earning a living by rolling beedis in her house. She was apparently attacked by the two youths while she was returning home yesterday, after picking up dry beedi leaves from an agent. According to a complaint filed by Syed Fathima, who hailed from the same town, she saw Mumtaz being attacked by two men aged about 20. “They stabbed her repeatedly on her neck and hands and fled,” she said.

An investigating officer in the case said: “From our enquiries we found that the two men had earlier warned Mumtaz ‘to behave’ herself. But her neighbours say that she abused the youths and asked them to mind their own business. Perhaps they committed the murder in anger.” Police said it was common for women in the town to be ostracised for having “illicit relationships” with men.

“I hear that there have been instances of women being kept out of a colony in Melapalayam if the residents suspected that she was having an affair,” said the senior officer. Police were interrogating five suspects believed to be Al Umma sympathisers. No one had been arrested so far.

Melapalayam town is a communal hotbed and was once an active base of the Al Umma, most of whose members were now in Coimbatore prison, accused in the serial bomb blast cases.