MADURAI: Days after the brutal killing of a retired sub inspector of police in Tirunelveli, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that he was murdered in broad daylight by a group of four persons.

The victim Jahir Hussain Bijli (60) was fighting legal cases against the encroachment of Waqf land in the area and had been receiving death threats from some people. He had also alleged that the police were not taking proper action against them as it was hand-in-glove with them, a statement said on Tuesday.

The NHRC has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious violations of the human rights of the victim. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Director General of Police and the District Collector, Tirunelveli, calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.

According to the media report, published on March 29, 2025, the family of the deceased has alleged that police inaction and gross negligence led to his murder.

Five persons, including Mohammed Thowfiq alias Krishnamurthy, a key accused and a juvenile have so far been arrested in connection with the murder, sources said.

An armed gang hacked Bijli to death allegedly over a land dispute while on his way back from namaz early in the morning last Tuesday. The gang fled the scene leaving him dead in a pool of blood. He had suffered machete wounds on his face, neck and head.

Three special teams were formed to nab the accused in the murder.