A love marriage has ended in tragedy in Kerala when the groom was allegedly murdered by goons hired by bride’s brother. The case has also exposed shocking apathy shown by police towards the father of the deceased. While the youth’s father sought help from the sub-inspector in Kerala’s Kollam district, officials told him they were busy with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s visit to the district, according to Indian Express report. While, the 23-year-old youth’s family members have alleged that their boy was a victim of honour killing, police was also suspecting the same, the report says.
According to police and relatives of the victim, Kevin P Joseph and Neenu (20) fell in love with each other and were in a relationship for over the last two years. Both them stayed in Kottayam where he completed his ITI diploma and she studied in a local college. Kevin’s relatives have claimed they were “aware” of this relationship.
Police official said that Kevin was an electrician and hails from a poor Dalit Christian family in Kottayam. Kevin had completed his diploma in electrical engineering and he worked in Dubai briefly before returning last January. Joseph even used to run a two-wheeler workshop, the official said. “Neenu is from an influential Christian family at Thenmala in Kollam, her mother is a Muslim. Her parents, particularly her brother Shanu Chacko, were against her affair with Kevin. Shanu is our main suspect and is on the run,” a police officer said.
Both the youth and the woman got married at the sub-registrar’s office in Ettumanoor near Kottayam Friday. “After their marriage on Friday, Kevin and Neenu spent several hours at the Gandhi Nagar Police Station after a case was filed by her parents, Kevin’s uncle M Rajan was quoted as saying by IE. There was also an attempt by police to forcefully send her back with her parents, he alleged.
“Kevin was staying at his cousin Anish’s house at Mannanam, near the city, while Neenu was in a hostel. Early on Sunday, a gang attacked the house and kidnapped Kevin and Anish. The two were badly beaten up. The gang, which came in three vehicles, also vandalised the house. As soon as we came to know of the incident, we rushed to the local police station. Joseph spent the whole day there, from 9.30 am, pleading for help while the sub-inspector kept saying that he was busy with Chief Minister’s visit to inaugurate new facilities at the medical college,” Rajan claimed. “Around noon, Anish was dropped back home by the gang. They claimed Kevin had escaped from their custody. But early on Monday morning, we received information that Kevin’s body had been found in a canal near the Thenmala forest,” said Rajan.
Taking serious cognizance of the matter, the sub-inspector was suspended. The Chief Minister’s Office has set up special teams to nab the perpetrators. In a statement, the CM’s office said that one accused has been arrested and one of the vehicles used in the incident taken in custody. Kerala Human Rights Commission said it was suspected to be a case of honour killing and ordered the state police chief to submit a report in three weeks if there was any negligence from the side of the police in investigating the case.
A political slugfest erupted over the incident. With the Opposition Congress and BJP marching to the police station and calling for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kottayam district Tuesday, the DYFI issued a statement saying it had expelled Niyas, the relative of Neenu’s mother, from primary membership.