A 60-year-old man, Ish Mohammad, allegedly died by suicide in Udhopur village of Gauri Bazar police station area of Deoria in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, during the Eid-ul-Azha celebrations. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with various claims emerging regarding the motive behind the act.
According to reports, Ish Mohammad slit his own throat inside a hut located near his house. His wife, Hajra Khatoon, stated that he had returned from Eid prayers at a local mosque around 10 AM. He then went to the hut, and about an hour later, she heard him groaning. Upon rushing to the hut, she found him lying in a pool of blood with a knife nearby.
Law enforcement responded to the scene, and Ish Mohammad was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Due to the severity of his condition, he was referred to Gorakhpur Medical College. However, he died during treatment.
Several sources indicate that Ish Mohammad left a suicide note. This note purportedly stated that he was sacrificing himself in the name of Allah and His messenger, similar to the sacrifice of an animal during Eid. One version of the note quoted by OpIndia reads, "A man sacrifices a goat by raising it like his son. It is also a living being. Sacrifice should be done. I am offering my sacrifice in the name of the messenger of Allah. No one has killed me." He also purportedly requested a peaceful burial and urged his family not to fear anyone. Times of India reported the note saying, “A man raises a goat like his own child and sacrifices it for Allah. I am offering my own sacrifice in the name of Allah and His Messenger.”
However, police officials have not officially confirmed the discovery of such a note. Additional superintendent of police (north), Arvind Kumar Verma, told PTI, "Preliminary investigation suggests that the deceased inflicted the wound himself. However, we are probing the matter from all angles.”
Local residents have claimed that Ish Mohammad sacrificed himself on Eid-ul-Azha, motivated by religious reasons, while police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, exploring all possible angles. Some reports suggest that Ish Mohammad frequently visited the Kichaucha Sharif in Ambedkar Nagar district, and it is suspected that he may have attempted self-sacrifice during worship there in the past.
The incident has left the family in mourning. Ish Mohammad's son, Faiz Mohammad Ansari, stated that he found his father in the hut with his throat slit and covered in blood when he went to the hut for food.
Eid-ul-Azha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Bakrid, is a significant religious festival in Islam. It commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. The festival is marked by the sacrifice of animals, typically goats or sheep, and the distribution of the meat to family, friends, and those in need. It also symbolizes generosity, charity, compassion, humility and gratitude.
