Published Dec 05, 2024 | 1:39 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 05, 2024 | 1:39 PM
The murder took place on Saturday afternoon when the victim, who worked as a mid-day meal helper at a government school, was returning home from her workplace.
The Kerala police have confirmed that the death of expatriate businessman MC Abdul Gafoor Haji in the Kasaragod district was a murder orchestrated under the guise of black magic.
Police sources said on Thursday, 5 December, that the desire to amass more wealth through occult practices cost the businessman his life, as a gang of four, led by a self-proclaimed witch locally known as Jinnumma, plotted to rob him of gold worth lakhs.
Gafoor Haji (55), a philanthropist and successful entrepreneur with multiple ventures in the Middle East, was found dead at his residence near Poochkad’s Faruqiya Masjid on 14 April 2023.
Believing that it was a natural death, his family buried the body the same day according to religious customs, given it was the 25th day of the holy month of Ramadan.
However, suspicions arose when relatives discovered that 596 sovereigns of gold ornaments, including jewellery owned by Gafoor and others borrowed on loan, were missing.
The investigation revealed that Gafoor had been lured into believing that his wealth could be doubled through rituals performed by Shemima (38), alias Jinnumma, a witchcraft practitioner who operated with her husband Ubaid (38) and two accomplices, Asneefa (34) and Ayesha (40).
The group allegedly convinced Gafoor to bring his gold for a ritual, promising supernatural gains. However, the gang killed him to avoid returning the gold.
As the family raised suspicions, the body was exhumed on 27 April 2023 and postmortem reports confirmed that Gafoor died from head injuries, leading to suspicions of foul play.
The case took a turn when Gafoor’s son, Muzammil, filed complaints with the police and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, prompting a thorough investigation.
A special team of 11 officers, including Kasaragod Superintendent of Police (SP) D Shilpa, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), led the investigation and arrested the accused.
The accused had sold portions of the stolen gold to jewellery shops and deposited large sums of money into their bank accounts. Police are said to have discovered that some gang members paid off car loans in cash shortly after the crime, raising red flags.
Evidence, including WhatsApp messages exchanged between Gafoor and Shemima, and phone location data placing the suspects near the crime scene, were also said to have strengthened the case.
The team also seized ₹10 lakh, some gold ornaments, and other valuables from the accused. Police revealed that Gafoor’s murder stemmed from the gang’s inability to fulfil their promise of doubling his gold.
What began as a scheme to exploit Gafoor’s trust ended in a brutal murder to cover up their crime. The incident has once again reignited concerns about the influence of black magic and superstitions in Kerala.
Despite widespread awareness campaigns, it is being pointed out that cases like this highlight the persistent grip of occult practices on certain sections of society.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
