The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered initiation of suo motu proceedings in the case of a father beating to death his two-year-old daughter in Malappuram.
Justice Devan Ramachandran, while passing the order, observed that the incident shocked the conscience of the court and certainly it must be an eyeopener. As per media reports, though complaints had been levelled against the accused earlier, the police did not take it seriously, the court noted.
The court observed that when children were involved and became victims of any violence, the court was enjoined to act under the “parens patriae jurisdiction” notwithstanding whether the perpetrator was the father or any of their near relatives. The court could not ignore the cries of the child who must have suffered immeasurably when attacked, if one went by the news reports.
The court said there should be some protocol so that the police would be in a position to intervene when such incidents were brought to their attention.
The court proposed to make the State Police Chief, Superintendent of Police, Malappuram, and the Station House Officer concerned as respondents in the case.
