Police in Kozhikode district of Kerala have registered a case of unnatural death into the incident relating to the death of a woman who died on December 7. The deceased has been identified as 43-year-old Noorjahan. The Valayam police have taken a case of unnatural death under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Fazil, a cousin of Noorjahan, has filed a complaint against Jamal, husband of Noorjahan. The complaint states that Jamal took Noorjahan to a religious centre in Aluva in Ernakulam district for sorcery instead of taking her to a hospital and this caused her death. While in the complaint, there is no mention about the death of Noorjahan's one-and-a-half-year-old daughter who also died, the relatives allege that the child also was taken for sorcery.
"The elder child (of Jamal and Noorjahan) died of tumour in the head. She too was not given treatment. He (Jamal) had been attracted to that religious centre even when they got married. First, she made her (Noorjahan) get attracted to the centre, then he did the same for his children. She developed a skin disease in November last year and was taken to a dermatologist for Ayurveda treatment and then to witchcraft. Her condition worsened," Noorjahan's mother Kunjayisha told Asianet News. It's not clear in which year the child died. The autopsy was conducted at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
Police have taken the statement of Jamal. “In the investigation, it has been learnt that she (Noorjehan) was given medical treatment too. In the complaint, it is said that she was taken to witchcraft at a religious centre,” Ajeesh A, Circle Inspector of Valayalm police told TNM. However, he added that in the complaint, there has been no mention of the death of the child.
Noorjahan hailed from Kallachi in Nadapuram of Kozhikode district. She, along with Jamal and her children, were living in a rented house near Valayam.