Kottayam/Kollam: Sending shock waves across Kerala and triggering political repercussions, the body of Kevin P. Joseph, 23, a victim of honour killing, was found in Chaliyekkara canal in Kollam on Monday. Kevin’s wife Neenu, whom he had married disregarding the objections from her family members, had complained to the Gandhinagar police on Sunday that he had been abducted by some persons. But the police failed to take up the case which provoked the Opposition to direct its fury on the government on Monday amidst the hectic polling in Chengannur.
Kevin belonged to a Dalit Christian organization and Neenu’s father was a member of the Malankara Church. His wife was originally a Muslim. The locals at Ottakkal, Thenmala, told this newspaper that the family was now associated with an outfit named ‘Aakashaparavakal.’ The body was found floating in the canal by local residents. After inquest, it was sent to the Kottayam medical college by Monday afternoon. The post-mortem will be held on Tuesday. Several wounds were found on the body, including severe head injuries.
Neenu (above) had staged a sit-in in the police station on Sunday to force the police to trace her husband. She told mediapersons that the police had ignored her complaints.
A six-member special team under the direct supervision of Ernakulam range IG Vijay Sakhare has been constituted by state police chief Loknath Behera. The Punalur police constituted a three-member team under Punalur DySP to conduct an investigation in the district. They also took a van into custody and arrested Ishan from Punalur on charges of kidnapping. He is a relative of Neenu. He told the police that Kevin had escaped from their custody at Pathanapuram.
A tense situation prevailed at Chaliyekkara, 20 km from Thenmala, where the body was found, following a brawl between CPM and Congress workers. The Congress workers demanded inquest to be done in the presence of the tahsildar or the RDO. The CPM alleged that the Congress was politicising the issue. Neenu had staged a sit-in in the police station on Sunday to force the police to trace her husband. She told mediapersons that the police had ignored her complaints.
According sources, Neenu was told by the police that the CM’s programmes were going on in the district and that investigation will be held after that. The police also ignored the complaint of Joseph Jacob, father of Kevin, who reached the police station by 6 a.m. on Sunday. Neenu came there by 11 a.m. The police didn’t register any case on both of the complaints. The State Human Rights Commission(SHRC) has taken a case on the incident. Earlier, hundreds of people blocked the Gandhinagar police station in Kottayam where MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan staged a sit-in protesting against the police inaction. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala among others participated in it.
Mr Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan who launched a fast before the police station withdrew it after the Gandhinagar SI M.S. Shibu and ASI were suspended and SP V.M. Muhammad Rafeeq was transferred for not acting on the complaint of Neenu. The new district police chief is Harisankar. The BJP the CPM also held protests in front of the police station. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan blamed the local police for lack of vigil. According to sources, there will be departmental and legal actions against the erring police officers.
The Congress workers under Kollam DCC conducted a protest march at Chinnakkada, Kollam, on Monday evening alleging that Pinarayi Vijayan was protecting DYFI workers who are allegedly involved in the incident. Meanwhile, the DYFI state leadership expelled two persons, Niyas and Ishan, both Thenmala natives, from its primary membership. Niyas, a local DYFI leader, was involved in the team that abducted Kevin. Ishan, who is under police custody, is also a DYFI member. The DYFI in a statement demanded punishment for the police officers who failed to act on the complaint filed by Neenu after he was abducted. The DYFI also alleged that the prime accused in the case, Shanu Chacko, brother of Neenu, is a Congress worker.
