Mullah Abdullah

Mullah Abdullah
Born c. 1855
Afghanistan, Pakistan or India
Died 1 January 1915 (aged 59–60)
Broken Hill, New South Wales
Cause of death Shot in the head
Occupation Imam

Mullah Abdullah (c. 1855 – 1 January 1915) was an imam, cameleer and spree killer. While his exact place of birth is unknown, sources give his birthplace as either Afghanistan, India or Pakistan. He was one of the perpetrators of the Battle of Broken Hill, a mass shooting which left six dead and seven injured.

Career and death

Mullah Abdullah arrived in South Australia circa 1890, primarily in search for a job. He found one as a cameleer in 1899, Broken Hill, New South Wales.[1] There, he also served as an imam to "Afghan" immigrants at their "Ghantown", leading daily prayers, and was the spiritual head of the group of cameleers.[2] In charge of the killing of animals, according to the principles of halal, for Muslim consumption, he was prosecuted twice for his allegedly unsanitary means of killing the animals,[3] and for not joining the local Butchers' Union. This caused Abdullah to bear great ill-feeling towards the Union, as well as the local sanitary inspector, Brosnan, who prosecuted him.[4]

Another camel-driver and Abdullah's next-door neighbour, Gool Badsha Mahomed, was an Afridi tribesman from Afghanistan, and had fought in the Turkish Army. After the start of World War I, his religious and nationalistic fervour increased as he became infuriated by the conflict.[5] Mullah Abdullah and Gool formed an alliance and plotted a mass shooting, to take place on 1 January 1915. On that date, the duo opened fire on the open carriages of a picnic train which was taking people to Silverton for the annual Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows New Year's Day picnic. Following a long exchange of fire, local police officers shot Abdullah dead. Gool died of gunshot wounds in hospital. The total death toll among the train passengers was four, with seven others severely wounded.[6] Abdullah and Gool were buried secretly at a public building later that day by a police-employed Aborigine.

References

  1. ↑ P. Rajkowski (1987). In the Tracks of the Camel-Men. Sydney.
  2. ↑ C. Stevens (1989). Tin Mosques & Ghantowns. Melbourne.
  3. ↑ "Broken Hill Sensation". The Argus. 1915-01-04. Retrieved 2014-12-25.
  4. ↑ "1915 Broken Hill Ottoman Flag". Migration Heritage Centre. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Stevens, Christine. "Mahomed, Gool Badsha (1875–1915)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 2014-12-25.
  6. ↑ "none". Barrier Miner. 12 January 1915.
  • Stevens, Christine (2005). "Abdullah, Mullah". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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