Sexual assault attempt on woman in pretext of changing snake curse using witchcraft; imam arrested

VELLARADA: An imam who tried to sexually assault a housewife in pretext of using witchcraft was arrested. Sajeer Maulvi (49), a native of Vithura and imam of Thekkupara Moongodu Juma Masjid, was arrested by Vellarada police. The incident happened on February 4. The housewife didn’t have kids even after years of marriage. The accused told her that she had snake curse and should conduct rituals to change that. He asked her to come to come to his house with pooja items.

The imam is a regular visitor to the woman’s house who is a member of the mosque. As per his instruction, she woman came to the imam's residence with her relatives. The complaint is that he tried to rape the woman by taking her inside a dark room for witchcraft. The police said that there have been complaints of sexual harassment against him at the places where he worked. He was also married four times.

He tried to abscond with the help of his friends in Attingal and Kilimanoor after knowing that the woman and her relatives had lodged a complaint with the police. But when friends and relatives refused, he was arrested by Vellarada police on his way to Vithura. The accused have been produced in Neyyatinkara court and was remanded.