2 cops aided Dalit murder in Kerala ‘honour killing’

KOTTAYAM/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following damning evidence of their role in helping the gang that kidnapped and killed newly married Kevin Joseph, a Dalit, two policemen were taken into custody and questioned by the special investigation team on Wednesday. Finance minister T M Thomas Isaac called the “honour killing” an indelible blot on the state’s reputation.

Kevin, 23, was allegedly abducted by his wife Neenu’s family a day after their wedding from the house of his cousin. His badly bruised body was found two days later in a rivulet.

T M Biju, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Gandhinagar police station, and Ajayakumar, a driver from the same station, who had earlier been suspended for dereliction of duty, were quizzed by SIT at Ettumanur police station. An audio clip of a conversation between the ASI and prime accused Shanu Chacko, Neenu’s brother, was aired by TV channels on Wednesday morning. IG Vijay Sakhare, who is leading the investigation, confirmed the veracity of the tape.

Isaac, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, said Kevin’s murder will remain a blot on the state’s name. “The backing it (the murder) received from police points to a very dangerous situation,” he said.

Six accused still at large in Kerala ‘honour killing’ case

Isaac, in a Facebook post said, “Nobody can trivialise this situationand the message has already been conveyed to society through immediate action against responsible police officers. We all should drop our heads in shame before Neenu.”

In stark contrast to his senior cabinet colleague, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan continued to blame the media for casting the state in a bad light. “I’m not averse to criticism, you should criticise mistakes. But a section of the media is not doing that. They want to prove that he (Kevin) died as Gandhinagar police was preoccupied with the security of the chief minister. That is wrong... That is unacceptable,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Shanu Chacko and his father, who had surrendered in Kannur on Tuesday, were remanded by an Ettumanur court in judicial custody. Another accused, Tinto Jerome, surrendered in Peerumedu court on Wednesday and was handed over to police in Kottayam. The three who were remanded on Tuesday — Niyaz, Riyaz and Ishan — will be taken into police custody on Thursday. Six accused are still at large.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the CM was trying to cover up the failure of the home department by abusing the media and opposition. “Ten cases of police brutality were reported in the past few months. Varappuzha, sexual abuse at a theatre in Malappuram and Kevin murder happened in a short span,” he said.