Why was AIMIM corporator's young nephew Syed Murtuza Ali murdered?

Hyderabad: The commissioner's task force, south zone, along with the Bhavani Nagar police on Monday apprehended two persons for the murder of 21-year-old Syed Murtuza Ali Anas, the nephew of AIMIM corporator Mohammed Ali Sharif, earlier this month.Syed Murtuza was brutally murdered in broad daylight by two men in front of Lalithabagh corporator office, Kummarwadi.

The two arrested persons have been identified as 28-year-old Suleman Khan, a food delivery executive, and Abdul Hamed Khan. The police seized a motorcycle, knife, and two cell phones from them.

The murder

It was a usual day at AIMIM division 36 corporator Mohammed Ali Sharif's office in Lalitha Bagh falling under the Chandrayangutta constituency of the old city until it turned bloody.

The 21-year-old corporator's nephew Syed Murtuza Anas was brutally attacked in broad daylight by two men. The boy sustained grave injuries on his neck. He was shifted to Owaisi's hospital where he succumbed.

On the evening of 19 December, the police received a complaint from Ather Unnisa Begum, Syed Murtuza's mother. She said her elder son Syed Murtuza Ali Anas told her he was going to visit his uncle Mohd. Ali Shareef Azam at the Lalithabagh corporator office in Kummarwadi, Edibazar. A few minutes later, her brother Azam called her and said some unknown persons had attacked Anas with a knife near his office. The boy was shifted to Owaisi Hospital.

Unnisa Begum rushed to the hospital and found that her son had injuries on the right side of his neck. He died while undergoing treatment. A case was registered at the Bhavani Nagar police station.

What was the motive for the murder?

The two accused—Suleman Khan and Abdul Hamed Khan—are cousins. Suleman works as a food delivery executive for Swiggy and Zomato and lives in Akber Nagar, while Abdul Hamed Khan runs a chemical shop near Morning Star Hotel and lives in Madannapet.

A few months back, one of their friends, Junaid, had a dispute with a woman tenant. It is alleged that Junaid, Suleman, and Hamed started harassing the woman, asking her to vacate the house. The woman approached the area corporator seeking help. Following this, corporator Azam called Suleman, Hamed, and Junaid to discuss and settle the matter.

During the discussion, a small argument arose between them, and the three men were sent out of the office by the corporator's associates. Immediately, Junaid, Suleman, and Hamed went to the police station and lodged a complaint against the tenant and others. From that day, the three hatched a plan to do something against them and waited for a suitable time.

On 19 December, Anas and his friend Hameedullah went to MeeSeva to apply for a Minority welfare loan. In the meantime, Suleman also came to the same MeeSeva to submit a loan application form. Suleman and Anas had a faceoff and the former left the place and went to his cousin Hamed's shop and informed him about Anas' presence at Meeseva.

Later, they collected weapons and went to MeeSeva and searched for Anas but he was not there. They found him near the Lalithabagh corporator office. They approached Anas. While Hamed was arguing with Anas, Suleman attacked Anas from behind with a paper-cutting knife. Anas was severely injured. Seeing this, Suleman and Hamed escaped.