A few days ago, a photographer from Kerala, Rafeeque Taliparamba had questioned Islamic practice of wearing “Purdah”, on a Whatsapp group named “What is Islam?”, containing a group of friends and acquaintances. On Sunday morning, news emerged that Rafeeque's studio in Taliparambu had been burnt to ashes, with equipment worth lakhs lost in the fire.

Earlier, in a Facebook post, Rafeeque alleged that there were certain people who were spreading false information and defaming him on social media. Rafeeque said that after he expressed his opinion on the Whatsapp group, he was supported as well as criticised. He added that derogatory messages and threats against him were circulated in the app and on Facebook. He said that there were threats which threatened that he would be ostracised for his remarks.

"It was not a public forum, but a group of people who knew each other. This was my personal opinion that I shared and I have faced a lot of vitriolic attacks because of it. Now my livelihood has been affected," Rafeeque had been quoted by media as saying. He further commented, “I have not deliberately insulted any religion. I have just questioned practices that I do not agree with, and that too with the motive of learning. If it is essential for one to have religion and a god, my family is my religion and my mother is my God."

Police said that the case is under investigation and that the members of the Whatsapp group are being monitored.

Photo Credits: The News Minute