Mourners have raised thousands of pounds for the funeral of a former Imam killed in Rochdale. It comes as the scene of the incident re-opened to the public for the first time since the tragedy last Thursday night.
Jalal Uddin, 64, died after being found with serious injuries in a children’s playground in Wardleworth.
Religious leaders called for calm in the community after the attack, which police say they have not yet determined if it was racially-motivated.
A crowd-funding page has been set-up by Mirza Sadiqul Zamal, a travel consultant and a close friend of Mr Uddin.
It says: “Qari Jalal Uddin was my teacher and later one of my closest friends. He has taught me many, many things but more importantly he shown me his teaching with his behaviour and character on a daily basis. He was the only financial provider for his family who live in Bangladesh. He was a great teacher, Imam. Not a single soul can utter a bad word about him. The money raised will go towards his funeral costs, consolidating any debts he may have and in supporting his family.”
It had a target of £3,000 but at the time of writing had already generated nearly three times that with a total of £8,564.
Police launched a murder probe saying Mr Uddin had suffered “significant injuries” after being assaulted between 8:40pm and 8:55pm as he walked from a friend’s house on South Street. He had earlier been to evening prayers at the Bilal Jamia Masjid Mosque in Bulwer Street.
Police in Rochdale confirmed the cordon was lifted at the Wardleworth Play Zone on Sunday, re-opening it to the public.
Senior GMP officers say it is still too early to establish if it was a ‘hate incident’ but extra officers were put on patrol in the area to provide reassurance.
Organisations including the Rochdale Council of Mosques asked for residents to remain calm after the death of the popular Bangladeshi man, with tributes to him pouring in from shocked friends and neighbours.
A 31-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder last Friday, has now been released without charge, with police saying he has been “completely eliminated” from their enquiries.
