Crime branch DSP to probe murder case

Thiruvananthapuram: Police have handed over investigation into the murder of house surgeon Dr Vandana Das at Kottarakkara taluk hospital to deputy superintendent of police, Kollam district crime branch (DCB). DCB will take over the case from the10-member special team that was earlier formed under Kottarakkara deputy SP Vijayakumar G D on Wednesday.
However, as the case has become a high-profile one and considering the need to give dedicated attention to it, the case will be dealt with by DCB. Police have slapped murder charge (302 of the IPC) against the accused.
As per the original FIR, police had charged IPC section 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty), 341 (wrongful restraint) and other relevant Sections of the prevention of damage to private property and payment of compensation act and healthcare service persons and healthcare service institutions (prevention of violence and damage to property) act against the accused, G Sandeep. Contradictions in the witnesses that came in the public domain, and the incident narrated in the FIR were criticized citing that it would help the accused while arguing the case in the court. The house surgeon was stabbed multiple times by Sandeep, a former UP schoolteacher with a reported history of alcoholism and substance abuse, with surgical scissors and a scalpel after he was brought to the hospital by police for dressing the injuries which he claimed were inflicted on him during a scuffle with neighbours.