Harikumar’s mental health to be checked

T'puram: Harikumar, the accused in the murder of the two-year-old girl at Balaramapuram, will be sent for a 10-day medical examination by an expert panel at the medical college hospital to assess his mental health. The 24-year-old from Kottukalkonam near Anthiyur is accused of murdering his niece Devendhu by throwing her into a well.
The decision was taken after the court directed the probe team to consult a psychiatrist to check the mental status of the accused when the custody application was granted. The psychiatrist expressed concern over his mental health and recommended a detailed examination.
Following this, the accused was produced before the magistrate again and kept under judicial custody.
"The court will take further decisions on forming the medical board and other allied things," said police.
The accused, Harikumar, told police that he committed the murder in a sudden urge as he could not sleep the previous night due to the crying child. The anger from not being allowed to sleep, coupled with enmity towards her mother, Sreethu, 29, forced him to commit the crime, he said. He also told police that he regretted the crime as it was a mistake on his part. However, he has not been responding positively to other questions raised by the probe team to check the involvement of others in the crime and other motives behind it.
The probe team was planning to question Harikumar and Sreethu together but with the new development, it would not be possible.
As part of the probe into the cheating case registered against Sreethu, police has moved a custody application. She will be questioned to check her involvement in the murder and also the links of the financial fraud to the murder.