Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, along with local Congress leaders, visit the house of Kevin Joseph to co... Read More

KOTTAYAM: Gandhinagar police station was left red-faced after the body of Mannanam resident Kevin P Joseph was found in a canal in Kollam early on Monday and SI MS Shibu and grade ASI Sunnymon were suspended, pending probe. Kottayam SP VM Mohammed Rafique was also transferred following the incident and officer Hari Sankar was appointed in his place. The shoddy handling of the ‘honour killing’ case has put the local police under the scanner.

Kevin was kidnapped by a gang along with his relative Aneesh early on Sunday morning in separate vehicles just days after he registered his marriage with Neenu, a 21-year-old woman from Thenmala in Kollam. The gang was sent by her family who did not favour the alliance.

Meanwhile, Kottayam deputy SP Shajimon Joseph is investigating another complaint that SI Shibu had accepted a bribe form the woman’s relatives to take a favourable decision in the case. There is an allegation that police delayed investigation on the complaint filed by Kevin’s wife Neenu, which in turn led to his death.

State human rights commission (SHRC) also slammed the police force for its lapse and registered a suo motu case. SHRC directed the state police chief to file a detailed report on the incident within three weeks. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced four squads under the leadership of IG Vijaya Sakhare to nab all culprits in the case. Separate teams were posted in Kottayam and Kollam districts for the probe. Apart from these squads, two special squads of the CB-CID are also part of the probe. A press-note from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said probe was intensified as the accused had ‘local connections’ in both districts. The press note said that one of the accused had already been taken into custody. One of the vehicle used by the gang has also been seized.

The dramatic developments at Gandhinagar police station on Sunday unfolded when the chief minister visited the nearby medical college hospital to inaugurate some projects. CMO took a stand that the negligence on the part of the police had nothing to do with the visit of Pinarayi Vijayan. But, the name of SI Shibu figured in the list of officers who were part of his security squad during the function at medical college.

Neenu collapsed after hearing the news

Kottayam: Kollam resident Neenu stayed awake the whole night hoping that her husband Kevin would return home. Though Neenu was tired after her protest at the police station, she did not sleep hoping that Kevin would arrive or call her. Kevin’s father Joseph had brought her to their rented house in Nattassery from the hostel she was staying. Kevin’s parents Joseph and Mary and her sister-in-law Kripa waited all night for a word from Kevin. But, she collapsed the moment news channels reported that Kevin’s body was found in a canal in Thenmala. Joseph then took her to the medical college hospital. Relatives and neighbours found it difficult to console the family. Mary held the new shirt Kevin had bought the other day and broke into tears. In a small room Mary, Kripa and Mary’s mother Chinnamma cried the whole day till they fell unconscious.

Hartal in district today

Kottayam: UDF, BJP and Cherama Sambava Development Society have called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kottayam to protest against the lapses on the part of the police that led to Kevin’s death. Essential services like distribution of milk and newspapers and functions like marriages have been exempted from the hartal. Kerala Congress (M) too has extended its support to the hartal. PC George’s Kerala Janapaksham Party and the BDJS have also extended support to the hartal called by dalit organizations. BDJS will take out a protest march form SN Square in town on Tuesday. The UDF march will start from Kottayam DCC at 10am.

