Violent murder of old man shocks Kudahuvadhoo

An old man, by the name of Ali Hassan, aged 76, was violently killed last night at Dhaalu Atoll Kudahuvadhoo. The man was stabbed with sharp objects at many places in his body, according to eyewitnesses and pictures circulating via MMS in the island.

“He was stabbed almost fifteen times”, said Ismail Ahmed, a stepson of the victim.

According to the family, Ali Hassan was killed after repeated threats of murder for no less than three months. Family members said that these threats were given by some people from their native island, Dhaalu Atoll Gemendhoo.

Ali Hassan and his family originally belonged to Gemendhoo, but were relocated at Kudahuvadhoo when the 2004 Tsunami washed away Gemendhoo island.

According to reports, Ali Hassan was attacked for revenge, for allegedly performing black magic, by which he killed a woman of Kudahuvadhoo.

The whole island, which has a population of about 3000, is in shock, and many people are afraid even to walk out of their doors during the night. The cruelty of the murder was a greater shock than the murder itself, as many said.

“I have never seen such a mercilessly killed person. I was scared to death, but I think the people here were much more scared”, said Dr. Khalid Shareef Khan, a physician at Kudahuvadhoo Hospital who checked the body of the victim to verify death.