Four crimes in Kochi and no clue yet

Weeks have passed since four major incidents of crime occurred in the city, yet there seems to be no clue or details emerging of the accused in the cases despite inquiries held by the city police.

The first case in which an aided school at Malaparamba was bulldozed by anonymous people remains a mystery for the investigating officials. The identity of the main accused who was found ‘absconding’ after the incident on April 11 is still to be known.

The incident came as a shock to many in the city.

The school was one of the polling stations during the recent Lok Sabha elections and the demolition took place just a day after the elections.

Allegations have surfaced from various quarters over the suspected attempts by authorities to shield those behind the act from legal action.

Though a case was instantly registered against the school manager and his relative, there was no follow-up action by the police.

Similarly, six days have passed since a notorious incident in which an artist, who was staying in a lodge in Mananchira, was allegedly burnt to death.

Statement of artist

As per the dying statement given by P. Bhakthavalsalan, the victim, the incident took place when a group of hired goons, with the support of the lodge owner, tried to evacuate him from the lodge.

When he denied, they tied petrol bottles around him and sent electric sparks through his body. The middle-aged man suffered severe burns all over body and succumbed to his injuries at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Though the incident was initially treated as a “suicide attempt”, the murder angle came up after the victim gave his dying statement.

Later, the police registered a case against eight persons — including the hotel owner — under section 302 of the IPC for murder, but no arrest has been recorded even after several days of the incident.

Seeking a “fair” enquiry into the case, an action committee is in the scene amply supported by artists and socio-cultural activists.

The committee has already come up with a demand to investigate the case under the headship of a senior IPS officer.

Similarly, the investigation into the third incident that initially confirmed the involvement of many hired goons in the demolition of a hotel building is also hanging in balance.

Only one person belonging to the gang has so far been arrested in the case in which the building owner allegedly used hired goons to evacuate his tenant.

According to the police sources, he resorted to the demolition strategy as the tenant, who was running a hotel, denied vacating the spot. The owner is still at large.

CRC intervention

A slow-pace inquiry into the fourth incident, in which a 15-year-old Mumbai girl was sexually abused in a lodge in Kozhikode, has got some fresh twist after the Child Rights Commission (CRC) took up the issue and served show-cause notices to the City Police Commissioner and the Kasaba Circle Inspector seeking details of the action so far taken.

The notice was served, as the commission found several slips in the process of investigation. This is said to have indirectly paved the way for the escape of some of the main persons linked to the case.