KANNUR/ MADIKERI: Police have strengthened vigil in Kasargod following the murder of madrassa teacher Riyaz , 30, from Kodagu, who was working at Old Choori locality Riyaz, 34, son of Sulaiman of Hodavada village near Napoklu in Kodagu, was found murdered on Tuesday. He was a teacher at the madrassa next to Muhayuddin Jumma Masjid for the past eight years.Riyaz and Abdul Azeez , the mosque's khateeb (who delivers the sermon), used to stay in adjacent rooms. At 1am on Tuesday, Azeez heard a guttural cry. When he opened the door of his room, he got hit by stones. He immediately closed the door. He then went to the mosque through the internal corridor and alerted residents using the mosque's mike. When locals rushed to the mosque, they found Riyaz's lying in a pool of blood in his room, with his throat slit.Police suspect the killers are locals and came on motorbikes. Riyaz is survived by his father, wife and a son. The body was brought to Hodavada in Kodagu after the postmortem in Kasargod.A special police team led by Kasargod DySP V Sukumaran has been formed to investigate the case. The reason for the murder is yet to be ascertained.Police said CCTV footage from surrounding areas will be examined for clues; the cyber cell will check phone call details falling under the range of the neighbouring towers around that time.Communal angle"Though we don't want to point a finger at anyone, we see this as an attempt to create communal tension in the region and this should be probed," said IUML leader N A Nellikkunnu.The hartal called by the IUML in Kasargod assembly constituency from 6am to 6pm was total. In many places, hartal supporters blocked roads and vehicles, affecting people's movement.The IUML leadership said special police team should probe the case ADGP (north zone) Rajesh Dewan said all steps will be taken to ensure the culprits are nabbed soon.

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