Tirunelveli police nabbed Mohammed Thoufiq alias Krishnamurthy, the accused in the murder of Zakhir Hussain Bijlii, on Wednesday, March 19. Zakhir, a retired Sub-Inspector of police-turned-activist was murdered on March 18. He was legally fighting Thoufiq and his wife Noorunisa for allegedly encroaching Waqf land in Tirunelveli and had previously alleged receiving death threats.
The police, on Wednesday, found that Thoufiq was hiding at Reddiapatty in Perumalpuram. While attempting to nab the accused, the head constable of Perumalpuram police station Anand was assaulted by Taufik with a sickle. The Perumalpuram Police then opened fire on Thoufiq and arrested him.
On March 18, Zakhir was returning home on his bike after offering Fajr (morning prayers) when he was waylaid by a four-member armed gang and was hacked to death, police said. Hours after the murder, two men surrendered at the Nellai court.
Zakhir had alleged that Thoufiq and Noorunisa had falsified documents to claim 36 cents of Waqf land as their own. The case has been pending before the Waqf tribunal.
On Wednesday, the Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and other AIADMK MLAs had called for an attention motion to Zakhir Hussain’s murder. Responding to the motion, Chief Minister MK Stalin assured impartial investigation and justice. Hours after Stalin’s speech in the Legislative Assembly, Thoufiq was arrested.