In a harrowing incident that has shocked the community, a young boy, Mohammad Ayan, was tragically killed inside a madrasa in the Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh. The incident, which occurred on the night between the 1st and 2nd of August, led to the arrest of a fellow student, also a minor, by the police on the 4th of August.

The place of the tragic event was within the vicinity of the Tulsipur police station in Balrampur district, specifically at the Jamiya Naimiya Arbi College located on Etawah Road, close to the Nepal border. Mohammad Ayan, who was only 12 years old and a second grader, was attending religious classes at this institution when he was brutally murdered.

According to the police investigation, a dispute had escalated into a severe altercation just a few days before the murder. The young Mohammad Ayan reportedly had a heated argument with another student at the madrasa, during which harsh words were exchanged. This argument is believed to have been the catalyst that led to the fatal stabbing.

The details surrounding the altercation suggest that the tension between the two students had been building. It culminated in the tragic night when Ayan was attacked. His father, deeply aggrieved by the loss, promptly filed a police complaint, which resulted in a case being registered under section 103(3) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), marking the beginning of a thorough investigation.

As the investigation unfolded, it was discovered that the accused, like Ayan, is a 12-year-old from the Balrampur district. Both children were engaged in their religious education at the same madrasa. The argument that escalated to Ayan's death had reportedly occurred about five to six days prior to the incident, where abusive language was hurled.

The events leading up to the tragic night at the madrasa started to unfold after the Isha Namaz, when Mohammad Ayan made a serious vow on the Quran. He declared that he would kill the accused by the night of Jumma (Friday). This vow, made inside the mosque and on the Quran, was taken very seriously by the accused, instilling in him a deep sense of urgency and fear.

Fearing for his own safety, the accused decided to act preemptively. He purchased a knife and concealed it in his suitcase, preparing himself for what he believed was a necessary response to the threat.

On the night of August 1st, the accused took this hidden knife to room number 15 inside the madrasa, where Mohammad Ayan and other students were sleeping. In the darkness of the room, the accused waited until he was sure that everyone else was asleep. He then proceeded with his plan in a chilling manner: he placed a pillow over Mohammad Ayan's face and neck to prevent any screams, and then he stabbed Ayan multiple times in the stomach.

After the attack, when he noticed no movement from Ayan's body indicating that life had ceased, the accused covered Ayan's body with a bedsheet and quietly left the room.

Following the fatal stabbing of Mohammad Ayan, the accused student tried to cover his tracks. He returned to his own room where he quickly removed his blood-stained clothes and concealed them in a suitcase. In an attempt to appear unaffected, he then changed his clothes and began walking around the campus, blending in with the other students.

The grim discovery of Ayan's body was made on Friday morning. He was found deceased in his room, his body bearing multiple wounds inflicted by a sharp weapon. This tragic scene marked the beginning of an intensive investigation.

Initially, the accused student attempted to deceive the police during the interrogation. However, as the questioning intensified, he eventually confessed to the crime and disclosed the location of his hidden, blood-stained clothes, which the police promptly recovered.

Amidst the ongoing investigation, a shocking accusation surfaced from the family of the deceased. They alleged that the maulanas of the madrasa were the actual perpetrators behind the murder. In response to these serious claims, SP Vikas Kumar arrived at the scene and assured the public that the incident was under thorough investigation. He confidently stated that the mystery surrounding the murder would soon be resolved and the true perpetrator arrested, highlighting the commitment of the police to uncovering the truth in this complex case.

Admission taken place three months ago

Mahfooz Alam, the grieving father of the deceased Mohammad Ayan, had enrolled his two sons, Ayan and his younger brother Farhan, into class 2 at the madrasa just three months prior to the tragic incident. Ayan, being the elder of the two, typically shared a room with Farhan in the hostel. However, in a poignant twist of fate, Ayan insisted on the night before the murder that Farhan should sleep in another room, specifically room number 17, leaving Ayan alone on the night he was killed. The family, including Ayan's brother Farhan and sister, reside with their father and stepmother in the village of Bhagwanpur, while their biological mother lives in Uttaraula. Farhan also noted that the room where the murder occurred lacked a basic security feature; it did not have a latch on the inside.

The investigation into Ayan’s murder has brought several startling facts to light. Inspector Ashok Singh disclosed a significant altercation that occurred during Jumerat prayers, where Ayan had threatened to kill a classmate following a minor dispute. This dispute revolved around a financial transaction where the juvenile offender had borrowed Rs 300 from Ayan, which was transferred via Google Pay. This money was used to purchase a knife from Itwa intersection, the weapon that was later used in the murder.

After the murder, in a bid to erase any immediate links to the crime, the offender discarded the knife near a table and changed out of his blood-stained clothes, which he then concealed in his suitcase. Both the clothes and the knife have since been sent for forensic analysis to gather further evidence.

The Madrasa is run on donation money

Manager Athar Feroz revealed key aspects of the financial and operational structure of the madrasa implicated in the recent tragic events. The institution serves a significant number of students, with 276 children enrolled in various educational programs and 100 of these residing in the hostel. The funding for the madrasa comes primarily from donations, which are often collected by teachers who travel abroad specifically to raise these necessary funds. According to Feroz, no fees are charged to the students for their education, highlighting the madrasa’s reliance on charitable contributions to sustain its operations.

However, recent events have brought to light concerns regarding the management and supervision within the hostel. Feroz pointed out that it was specifically the duty of Noor Alam to oversee the nighttime security and arrangements within the hostel. Unfortunately, Alam reportedly left his post and went home secretly at night without notifying anyone, an act described by Feroz as indiscipline. This lapse in duty has led to the decision that disciplinary action will be taken against him to address this serious breach of protocol.mu

In a related note on the broader issue of safety in madrasas, a similarly disturbing incident occurred in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh. A 9-year-old student was murdered inside a madrasa there, leading to the arrest of both a Hafiz and a Maulvi from the same institution on charges of murder. These incidents collectively underscore the critical need for stringent oversight and responsible management in educational settings, particularly where young students reside and study.