Hyderabad/Thrissur (Kerala): A software engineer from Hyderabad and a woman post-graduate student from Kerala’s Thrissur were among the 49 people killed in Friday’s terror attacks on two mosques in New Zealand’s Christchurch, while the whereabouts of at least two visitors from Gujarat where not known.
The shootings – the first fatal terror attack in the South Pacific island nation in many decades, was allegedly carried out by Brenton Tarrant, 28, who was charged with murder at a court in Christchurch on Saturday.
Ancy Ali, a 25-year-old married woman from Kerala’s Thrissur, was among the victims, the Kerala Police said.
Ancy, who had migrated to New Zealand with her husband Abdul Nassar last year, lived near the mosques that were attacked, an officer at the Kodungalloor police station in Thrissur said.
Ancy was doing her post-graduation in Christchurch where her husband was working, the officer said.
“We received news from the Special Branch that a woman from here was injured in the shooting. We have now received the news that she has passed away,” said the officer who did not wish to be named.
Software engineer Farhaj Aslan, who was reported missing following the attacks, was confirmed dead, his family in Hyderabad said on Saturday.
“We have received information that my brother was killed in the attack,” his elder brother Kashif Ahsan said.
The 31-year-old’s father Mohammed Sayeeduddin, who was hoping to hear some good news about his son, was inconsolable.
Grieving family members huddled in a corner at the family’s house in Nadeem Colony of Toli Chowki area after the family received the shocking news. Relatives and friends were pouring in to console the family.
Authorities in Christchurch informed Ahsan’s wife and her uncle, who rushed from Australia, about his death. They were at a hospital in Christchurch, waiting for some information since morning.
Ahsan was at Al Noor mosque for Friday prayers when the terrorist opened indiscriminate fire on worshippers. A father of two, he used to regularly offer Friday prayers at Al Noor mosque as he lives in a nearby neighbourhood.
Like every day, Sayeeduddin rang up his son, unaware of what was going on at the mosque. “We spoke to him over phone every day around afternoon and today being Friday, I rang him around 8 a.m. but he did not respond,” he had said.
He then called his daughter-in-law, who informed him that there was an attack at the mosque and that she also tried to reach Ahsan over his mobile phone. (IANS)
