The government has suspended N. K. Unmesh, Associate Professor of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Thrissur Government Medical College, from service pending department level enquiry into his conduct and testimony in the Soumya murder case.
His testimony regarding post-mortem of Soumya had raised a controversy as he had contradicted the testimony of the head of the Forensic Department Sherly Vasu claiming that he and not Dr. Vasu had conducted the post-mortem. He was accused of favouring the defence, and the Thrissur fast track court, which tried the case, had observed that Dr. Unmesh had failed in his duty and breached service rules.
A medical team that enquired into the issue had concluded that there was cause of action against Dr. Unmesh.
Health Minister Adoor Prakash told the media that action against Dr. Unmesh was delayed because the matter was under the consideration of the court. The government had not tried to protect the doctor. The conduct of the doctors was against medical ethics and could not be justified.
Despite the testimony of the doctor favouring the defence, the court had awarded capital punishment to the accused Govindachamy who was found to have attacked and raped Soumya leading to her death. Soumya, hailing from Manjakkad near Shornur, was travelling on train from Ernakulam to Shornur when Govindachamy pushed her out of the train near Vallathol Nagar railway station on February 1 and raped her.
