Several murders and violent outrages were staged in different parts of northern Kerala during the years preceding the Moplah Rebellion of 1921. No one ever guessed that these were the early signs of a large scale mutiny that was soon to take place. A few fanatic Muslims who were mad with their intense love for religion, had been attempting such outrages everywhere. These violent assaults frightened Hindus very much. The British government was also thinking about prospective plans to deal with these violent acts of Muslims, since it was their duty to ensure law and order in Malabar. From 1836 onwards, 47 people were killed in these outrages perpetrated by Moplahs. Out of them 14 were sepoys and peons belonging to British army. 4 men were stabbed. In retaliation by the British, about 121 Muslims were killed. Of these 22 Muslims were killed by the local people. In two incidents, 6 Hindu houses and two temples were torched. Five temples were attacked and desecrated. Out of the offenders, four were let off with warnings and one imprisoned for life. Most of the Muslim violence was staged in Valluvanad and Ernad areas.
On 26th November, 1836, one Kunjunni Panicker was stabbed to death and three persons were stabbed at causing serious injuries by one Panthaloor Kallingal Kunjolan. After committing these crimes Kunjolan escaped to Nenmini amsam (village) of Valluvanad taluk. The Tehsildar and sepoys chased and shot him dead.
On 15th April, 1837, Chirukarani Mana Narayan Moosad was stabbed and seriously wounded by one Alikkutty of Chengara Amsam, Kalpetta of Eranad taluk. After this incident Alikkutty attended his shop from where the Tehsildar and sepoys arrested him. On the second day, he was also shot dead by the police.
On 6th April 1839, Kodakkad Parutharakan was fatally wounded with stab injuries inflicted by one Mampadathodi Athan. After hearing of the incident, a police team under the leadership of Tehsildar reached the place. Athan stabbed a sepoy among them after rushing into their midst. He was caught and tried before a court which sentenced to deport him.
One Theyyath Kunhunni Nair and another were grievously hurt in dagger attack by Parakkodiyil Alikutty of Irimpuzhy amsam in Eranad taluk on 19th April 1840. He later set fire to Kidangali temple also. Then he took refuge in a nearby house. While the Tehsildar and sepoys were trying to arrest him, Alikkutty escaped and ran away. Next day the police shot him dead.
Perumpali Namboodiri was killed by Thumpamannil Kunjunnyan and five others on 5th April 1841. Along with this, the houses of four dependents of the Nambudiri were torched. Then they entered the house of a Brahmin Jenmi and challenged the powers of the government. The 36th regiment of Native infantry went to deal with the hooligans. When the army entered the house by force opening the front door, the criminals, came out through another door and fought with the army. A few natives were there helping the army in the fight. One of them named Peelikode Raman Nair was killed. Four of the natives, five sepoys and one soldier were injured. The hoodlums were all killed during the fight. The reason behind this violence is stated to be their hatred for the Jenmi. One of the gangsters was Kunhyolan who had given Rs. 16 as advance for some land bought from a Namboodiri under an oral agreement and later demanded possession rights on the same. But the Namboodiri had retransferred (Melcharthu) the same land to another Muslim without Kunhyolan’s consent, which was the reason for the provocation. This violent incident was a reaction against the treachery of the Jenmi.
On 14th November 1841, Kaythothipadil Moideen with eight others killed Thottassery Thachu Panicker and his peon. After the murder the assailants took refuge in a mosque. For three days they were successful in avoiding the police. On the third day three more people joined the gang. Under orders from District Judge, Mr.Thomas, Ninth Regiment of Native Infantry under command of Lt. Shakespeare reached the mosque along with 40 sepoys to overpower and arrest the criminals. The sepoys fired a few rounds from a distance of 100 yards from the mosque, when five Moplahs wielding swords and shields jumped out of the mosque and tried to escape. Those who jumped to the left side were shot at by the sepoys. The other three crossed the paddy fields, where the sepoys followed and challenged them. Some of the natives also reached there to help the sepoys. One of the Moplahs was killed by the sword of the Adhikari (Village Officer) and another by gunshot from a sepoy. The third one who stabbed and injured a local was also shot down. Immediately after this, another gang of 6 Moplahs jumped out of the mosque who were also shot dead by the sepoys. The bodies were buried in a compound where police stood guard. A group of 2000 Muslims reached the place and forcefully removed the police picket to take away the dead bodies. These bodies were later buried again conforming to their religious ordains.
On 27th December 1841, one Melemanna Kunhyathan and seven others killed Thalappil Chakku Nair and another man. Then they enetered the house of the local Adhikari (Village officer). With the help of natives all the culprits were caught and killed and buried under the gallows in Kozhikode.
On 19th October 1843, Kunnatheri Ali Athan and five others killed Kaprat Krishna Panicker who was the Adhikari of Thirurangadi village. One more Muslim joined the group and as per his advice they entered the house of one Nair in Cheroor. They bolted the house from inside. A group of soldiers from Fifth Regiment of Native Infantry reached the spot. Seeing these Moplahs coming out with a terrific rage, the sepoys got scared and retreated. In an armed conflict that followed, one subedar and three sepoys were killed and a captain and five others injured. All the assailants were beaten to death by the natives and the peons of the Taluk office. This was the incident that produced a folk song named “Cheroor War”which encouraged the Moplahs to form an organization, based on strong religious fanaticism.
The reason for the murder of Kaprat Krishna Panicker is known to be this: The Muslims converted six Hindus into Islam and changed their names to Ahamad, Salim, Husain, Ayisha, Halima, and Khadija. The women had started wearing blouses after the conversion. The blouse of Ayisha, who was earlier called Ckhakki, was pulled and ripped by Krishna Panicker. He also attacked those who were with her. Ayisha along with a few Muslims approached Mambram Thangal and complained about this to him. The Thangal advised them to kill Krishna Panicker. To implement the Thangal’s decision a group of Muslims named Ponmula Poovadan Moideen, Pattarkadavath Hussain, Cheroor Kuttimoosakkutty, Cholakkal Bukhari, Poonthirithy Ismail, Kunnathodi Ali Hassan, and Punathakkapuram Moideen were deputed and they killed Krishna Panicker. During the fight that followed there was a rumor that the Mamburam Thangal was injured on the leg by a gunshot. It was then that the army shot down all the miscreants.
After the Cheroor incident a new term was coined for the inspiration for fighting and perishing in war for religious causes. This was known as “Halilakkam” a colloquial term meaning approximately “mentally disturbed condition”
On 19th December 1843, the corpse of a peon with severed hands and head was found. Same month another Nair worker was also found killed, using swords and dagger.
On 11th December 1843, one Halilakkam gang of ten Muslims under the leadership of Anavattathu Sulaiman killed Kuruvanna Govindan Moosad, Adhikari of Pandikkad village in Valluvanad taluk and his servant while taking bath. Later they demolished two temples, broke the idols and hid themselves in a house. The detachments that arrived from Palakkad and Kozhikode shot dead the culprits.
On 26th May 1843, one Chakkalakkal Kammad, stabbed and seriously injured Kanancheri Cheeru and two others and later took refuge in a mosque. When the Cheranad Tehsildar and peons came to catch the culprit, he attacked them and was in turn shot dead by the peons.
On 25th August 1849, one Thorangal Unnyan killed Padithodi Theyyunni and along with four others and sought refuge with one Athan Kurikkal. Next day they killed three more persons. One servant of Marat Namboodiri and two others were the victims. Thereafter they entered Kunnath temple in Manjeri and partly burned it. There were 32 Muslim goons inside the temple then. The Hindus were scared so much that they could not even question the seige. Captain Watt belonging to the 43rd Regiment of Native Infantry from Malappuram moved to Manjeri and drew up a plan to encounter the culprits. In addition to this, another army company under command of Ensil Wise moved towards the same destination through the paddy fields separating the Taluk Kutchery from the hill. To drive the Moplahs out, a large number of police and local people had also assembled near the temple. Except 4, all the other soldiers in the company of Ensign Wise were scared to face the Moplahs storming out of the temple. One of the Moplahs was shot dead by Ensil Wise himself. But the army men deserted the scene and fled in all directions unable to face the wrath of threateningly advancing Moplahs. The offenders killed Ensil Wise and four of his men. In the fight three of the Moplahs were also killed.
For British, Manjeri incident was an eye opener about the inadequacy of security arrangements in Malabar. They decided to strike back with necessary force. On September 3rd, a wing of 49 Regiment from Kannur under the command of Major Dennis and another one from 39 Regiment at Palakkad reached Manjeri. Knowing that more army has arrived, the rioters deserted Kunnath temple and camped in Angadippuram Bhagavathi temple. The daring Moplahs faced the army and ended up before the sharp bayonets of the soldiers. They had faced the army with country guns and daggers. Within half an hour 64 Moplahs were killed by the army. The dead bodies were dumped in an abandoned well near the Taluk Katcheri at Perinthalmanna.
On 2nd October 1850, Moplah Adhikari (Muslim Village Officer) of Puliyanmkot village along with a few others hatched a conspiracy to kill Mungathambalath Narayanan Moosad without success. The culprits were let off with a warning.
On 5th January 1851, Chundyamoochikkal Athan attacked and injured a government servant. Since he did not surrender, the authorities shot him dead.
On 22nd August 1851, a group of Muslims reached the house of Kottuparambath Komu Menon. But Komu Menon and his assistant were away at Mankada Kovilakam in Valluvanadu. Seeing the brother of Komu Menon prepared to fight with a gun and sword, they went back and reached a pond where his brother was taking bath. They came back to the house and killed Kadakode Namboodiri who was sitting there. Seeing this, the family members of Komu Menon ran away from the house. Later they killed the brother of Komu Menon and set fire to the house. Then they entered the next house and attacked Madangara Rarichan Nair using swords and injuring him seriously. With a mad fervor for destroying everything that came across, the Moplahs entered the house of Chengara Variar. Hearing the noise, the inmates of the house ran away. A very old member of the family who could not take to heels was hiding himself in one of the rooms. The Moplahs caught hold of him and took him to a nearby field where they severed his head openly. The name of the fellow who slaughtered the old man was Pooppatta Kutti Athan. Meanwhile Komu Menon and his servant while returning from Mankada Kovilakam were killed by another gang of Moplahs on the road between Angadippuram and Manjeri. Shortly the army reached the scene and fought with the gang of Muslims. All the hoodlums were shot dead. In this battle four European Privates and one native Subedar were also killed. This is the Kulathur War which the Muslims celebrate even now as a divine war. In honor of these Muslims who died for the cause of religion as Shahids, the Moplahs of Irimpuzhy prepared for a revolt and this information was received by the police. Due to the timely intervention of the police, a Moplah outrage was averted then.
On 9th November 1851, Kalathil Kesavan Thangal was slaughtered by one Choriyat Mayan and nine others. After this murder a group of two hundred Moplahs rushed to Kesavan Thangal’s house at Mattannur. They massacred all the eighteen people who were present in the house. Then they set fire to the house. Not content with these atrocities against Hindus, they set fire to a temple and four other houses in addition to partially destroying one more temple. After this they captured a local landlord’s palace and stood guard there after burning two more temples to ashes. Thereafter they attacked the house of Kalyat Nambiar in Chirakkal Taluk. The army could reach the spot only after the dependents of Kalyat Nambiar butchered all the Moplahs involved in this gruesome outrage.
The atrocities committed by Muslims every day became a perpetual head ache for the British Government. Cold blooded murders were being daily committed. Why the Muslims are bent upon creating skirmishes involving heavy loss of life on the side of the public as well as the government was a mystery to them which demanded a deep analysis. The District magistrate Cannoli sent a report to the government requesting appointment of a commission to study the reasons for the Muslim unrest and outrages. The Moplahs are ready to mercilessly kill even innocent women and children and then bravely face the guns of police eventually to be shot dead. The government appointed Thomas Lampson Strange, Judge of Sadar Adalat court, to study and report about the Muslim unrests. The immediate and most important point to be enquired into was the role of the Thangal of Tirurangadi in instigating these riots. The information about this man popularly known as Mampram Thangal was already received by the authorities. Information was already there that the motivation for initiating these cruel acts in the name of religion came from this man. The real name of Mampram Thangal is actually Syed Fazal Pookoya Thangal of Arab origin. He had later usurped the status of Tharamel Thangal. Muslims before initiating armed outrages against Hindus invariable visited and prayed at the grave of Tharamel Thangal and then sought the blessings of Mampram Thangal. They believed that Syed Fazal Pookoya Thangal was a divine personality blessed by their god. As soon as an enquiry started regarding this, a rumor spread that the government is going to arrest him and this resulted in worsening the situation. Once convinced of the influence the Mampram Thangal had on the mutineers, the government instructed Mr. Strange to recommend as to whether this Thangal should be arrested and put on trial or extradited from the district. In the meanwhile under the intervention of District Collector Henri Cannoli, the Mampram Thangal issued a statement denouncing the activities of the Moplahs. He reiterated that he had not done anything that warranted disapproval from the government and strongly condemned the atrocities committed by the fanatic mutineers. His statement clarified that his prayers and religious counsels were aimed at only those who led their lives according to the dictums laid down by Muhammad Nabi.
He also undertook to vacate the place in view of the unruly things happening due to his presence. But the Muslims could not even think of Mampram Thangal leaving Thirurangadi under any situation. On 19th March 1852, Syed Fazal Thangal and his family and assistants finally sailed to Arabia.
Once Mampram Thangal left the place, Muslims created a tense situation all over Malabar. In April 1852 news spread that a Moplah rebellion was already on the anvil. This rumor was first spread in Kottayam taluk. The Hindus did not have the guts to face or power to withstand another Muslim onslaught immediately after the religious persecution unleashed by Hyder Ali and Tippu. Scared of outrages, the Hindus abandoned their homes and took refuge in forests. On the basis of two letters received by the government regarding these developments, they took strict action and prevented recurrence of another religious blood bath.
Mr. Strange, the Special Commissioner, submitted his enquiry report to government on 25th September 1852. Out of 31 cases filed in connection with Moplah outrages, it was found out that 17 were caused with no specific, clear and genuine causes or provocations. In seven cases only the unrest was due to land related disputes. In the other cases too there were partial issues relating to land. All the cases involved attacks to avoid payment of dues to the land lords. Coupled with this were issues connected with denial of rights of tenants by the Jenmis. Strange reiterated that religious fanaticism was a common factor in all the cases that involved violence. The Moplahs from villages were always against any rule of law. They were also illiterate and ignorant. The sermons made by the Muslim clerics provided the necessary impetus to infuse destructive religious bigotry in their minds. They were led to believe that the Koran provided them with a right to fight against and annihilate “Kaffirs”. The plight of Hindus was already very miserable. Mr. Strange in his report had commented that the faith of general public in governmental administration and control over law and order was badly shaken in the district.
The report also recommended for enacting laws for appropriation of property belonging to trouble mongers, impose fine on the entire village where such unruly incidents happened, deport culprits involved in such cases, and restrict possession and use of weapons and stoppage of construction of more mosques. To purge such rebellions, formation of a special police force for Malabar was also recommended by Mr. Strange.
The government implemented some of the recommendations made by Mr. Strange while others were ignored. Possession of and parading with swords and knives were prohibited by law from 1st February 1855. Once, possession of such sword/ knives were made illegal, about 7561 swords were surrendered before the government officers by their owners from various parts of the district.
Immediately after this, District Collector Cannoli was hacked to death by Moplahs in September 1855. Valassery Emalu and Puliyamkunnath Thenu who were jail inmates in Kozhikode escaped from the prison which initiated the series of events culminating in the murder of Connoli. On 4th August 1855, they reached Valluvanad and prayed at the grave of Mampuram Thangal. Then they wandered around for a few days in Vettatthu Puthiyangadi. On September 9th they entered the Collector’s bungalow at West Hill; Kozhikode by about 9 pm. Mr. Cannoli who was sitting in the outside verandah was hacked to death by them. His body sustained several injuries by repeated sword cuts. After escaping from there, they sought refuge in a mosque. They then plundered the House of one Makkat Nambudiri, and reached Thiruvampadi on 15th. They were shot dead by the army team with help from some locals who went in search of the assassins.
After the death of Cannoli, the administration levied a group fine in Nenmini, Kryavattam, Kalpakancheri, Kanmanam, Vadakkumpuram, Thalakkad, Koduvayur, Katcheri and Kedavur villages and collected in all a sum of Rs.38331/-. Out of this a sum of Rs. 30936-13 annas -10 pais were paid to the widow of Mr. Cannoli.
Though there were strict steps to control the insurgency there was no respite from the atrocities committed by Muslims. In August 1857, one Nair from Ponmalayil was reconverted to Hinduism. A team of 7 Moplahs under the leadership Poovadan Kunhippa Haji decided to take revenge for this. On receipt of the information, Eranad Police Inspector Koman Nair arrested them. They were later deported as per Moplah Outrages Act.
On 9th September 1880, Maduvinalthodi Ali waited at the gate of one Appadurai Pattar’s house to kill him. Unable to lay hands on Appadurai, he went to the hut of a nearby low cast man. One boy from that hut had earlier been converted to Islam who later came back to Hinduism. Ali called this boy lovingly and placed him near a tree and then cut his throat. He entered a Niskarappalli (Miniature mosque for prayers) and secured a sword from there. With the sword he went around threatening to kill Appaduarai Pattar, Thrippakkara Krishna Pisharody and Mannan (Mason) Raman. He also attacked a pot maker and injured him grievously. Next day he went to the house of Thrippakkara Krishna Pisharody, posing like a martyr. The guard of the house Gopalatharakan shot down this fanatic Muslim to death. It was known that the reason for planning to kill Appaduarai pattar was a land dispute. But killing an innocent child from the backward cast was surely out of religious frenzy only.
On 18th June 1884, two Muslims tried to kill Kannancheri Raman who came back to Hinduism after converting to Islam. They were Kunhimuhammad Mollakka and his group.The police caught hold of them and they were punished with life imprisonment.
On 27th December 1884, early morning four o’ clock, a group of 11 Muslims under the leadership of Kolakkadan Kutty Hassan, shot dead Kannanchery Choyikkutty, who was staying not very far away from Malappuram police barracks. Then they set fire to his house and roamed about in Malappuram shouting Jihad calls. They warned every one not to come opposite and flee away from their sight. A Brahmin who did not obey these words was caught and stabbed resulting in serious injuries. They changed course from the 21st Mile stone point on the road and went towards north crossing the hills. Seven of them swam across the river and entered a mosque and started shouting Jihad. After the prayers they broke open Thrikkalur temple and gave a prayer call (Adhan) from within. Knowing about this the army reached the place and the Muslims converted the temple into a fort. The army had to use dynamite to break open the doors and kill the miscreants. This was the first instance of using dynamite in a war in India. The fight lasted for twenty four hours in which a soldier of the European force lost his life and Captain Dey was seriously injured.
Another instance, in which members of a family who were reconverted to Hinduism massacred, happened on 1st May 1885. One Kuttikkoran was earlier converted to Islam. A group of 11 Muslims under the leadership of T.V.Veerankutty entered the house of Kuttikkoran who belonged to Cheruma cast. After hacking him to death along with his wife and four children, they burned his hut. They also set fire to a nearby temple. Later they reached Kalpakancheri Police station to snatch away guns, but due to effective security withdrew from there. Then they marched to Malappuram and took possession of the Orakam temple. Spending little time there, they returned to Ponmundam and seized a Namboodiri’s house. Meanwhile, the European army reached there and shot all the twelve of them dead.
One Moplah named Unnimammad reached the house of Krishna Pisharody on 11th August 1885 on pretext of buying paddy and hacked Pisharody to death. The court awarded capital punishment to the culprit.
The above details are of some of the atrocities committed by fanatic Muslims on Hindus in certain parts of Malabar subsequent to the Mysorean hegemony till 1885. Only a very few among them were due to land disputes with Jenmis.
