Rochdale man appears in court over death of faith leader
A 21-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a Rochdale imam who was left dying in the street after being attacked earlier this month.
64-year-old Jalal Uddin was found with a serious head injury shortly before 9pm on Thursday 18th February close to a play area at the end of South Street in Wardleworth.
Police were called by paramedics at the scene and Mr Uddin was taken to hospital where he passed away a short time later.
A Home Office post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Uddin died from a head injury.
Last weekend, on Saturday 27th February, Mohammed Hussain Syeedy, 21, of Ramsay Street, Rochdale, was charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy remains on bail on suspicion of murder.
Mr Uddin had been on his way home from a friend’s house when he was attacked after attending evening prayers at the Jalalia Jamé mosque.
Mr Uddin’s son, who wishes to remain anonymous, paid tribute to his late father and said the family were ‘mortified’ by the whole incident.
“Jalal Uddin was a loved and integral part of the community,” he said. “He was a softly spoken, gentle soul who wouldn’t hesitate to help those in need. He was a simple man, but respected by all for his kind and caring nature.
“He was a selfless man of principle, who always strived to do the right thing. For the community, it is a great loss to lose such a soul. With his extensive knowledge of Islam and his ability to share this knowledge, he captured the hearts of the old and the young, truly making a difference in people’s lives.”
As well as acting as a prayer leader at a local mosque, Mr Uddin was the main provider for his family back in Bangladesh.
His son continued: “We thank everybody for their support and kind condolences at this difficult time.”
“He was a loving father, husband, and grandfather who will be dearly missed by not only his wife, children and his young grandchildren, but by all who knew him. We hope his soul will be at rest in the knowledge that those who loved him, really cherished him.
“The events that transpired on that night were completely unexpected, and incredibly inhumane. Nobody should have to go through what Jalal did. We are mortified that such a horrific attack took place with such an innocent and polite soul.
“We hope that justice will persevere and the perpetrators responsible will be held to account.”
