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Fundamentalists set fire to dissenter's house

D Jose in Trivandrum

Muslim fundamentalists in Kerala have made life difficult for a Muslim youth of Tirur in Malappuram district for choosing Kathakali, Kerala's most renowned Hindu temple art, as his avocation.

Palathody Abdul Rasheed, who took to Kathakali during his school days inspired by Kalamandalam Hyderali, and his family have been virtually thrown out into the street with the fundamentalists setting fire to their house at Thekkan Kuttur.

The thatched house was set on fire on Friday when Rasheed, his parents, and six sisters were sleeping inside. The fundamentalists had forced Rasheed to abandon Kathakali and his father Khader to close his teashop. The family is without any means for a livelihood now.

Police suspect that the fundamentalists, who had earlier ostracised the family within the Muslim community, could be behind the incident. They have registered a case and started investigation.

For a four-part series on the growing Islamic fundamentalism in Kerala, see: The jihad within

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