Top

Kerala Dalit woman's rape and murder appears to be planned, says police

Over 125 people have been questioned in connection with the rape and brutal murder of the 30-year-old law student.

Kochi: A week after the brutal rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Ernakulam district, Kerala Police on Friday said the incident appears to be a "planned one" and its probe has entered a "crucial stage".

"Investigation is going through a crucial stage. It appears to be a planned murder and not an un-premeditated," Additional Director General of Police K Padmakumar, who is supervising the probe by the Special Investigation Team comprising experts from the state police, told reporters.

He said the investigation is on the "right track", but refused to say about the arrest of the culprits.

Read: Kerala rape and murder case: Centre ready for CBI probe, says Rajnath Singh

Police, which continued questioning people, including some neighbours, a bus driver and his assistant, to get a lead in the case, said it was verifying the inputs received from various persons.

Over 125 people have been questioned in connection with the rape and brutal murder of the 30-year-old law student, who hailed from a poor family, at her home at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district on April 28.

Read: No interference warranted in SIT probe: HC on Kerala Dalit rape case

Earlier, state police chief T P Senkumar had rejected suggestions that there were many major lapses by the force initially which have impacted the probe.

After holding meeting with the top cops supervising the case at nearby Perumbavoor last evening, Senkumar had said "a scientific, professional investigation" is progressing in the case, but admitted that they could not reach a "sudden detection."

Read: Kerala rape case: Police reshuffles Jisha investigation team

"We are doing a professional work. Many experts in the police team have been called in to assist the probe. We are taking all types of inputs. Scientific, professional investigation is on. We have not reached a sudden detection but the probe is in progress," he told reporters.

The top police officer said there were "not much lapses" from the local police in the initial stage of the investigation.

( Source : PTI )
Next Story