In Kerala, the State President of Indian Union Muslim League Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal passed away this afternoon at a private hospital at Angamali in Ernakulam district this afternoon. He was 74. He was suffering from cancer and was hospitalised for sometime.<br />''<br />''A widely respected Islamic scholar, the soft-spoken Hyderali Shihab Thangal played a key role in maintaining communal harmony and amity. A highly affable personality, he was loved and highly regarded by all transcending religious beliefs.<br />''<br />''Thangal, who became the State President of IUML in 2009, also headed several religious institutions, orphanages, and other organisations in the state. He will be laid to rest at the Panakkad Juma Masjid in Malappuram district tomorrow morning.