The mother of the two girls found dead in Walayar under suspicious circumstances in 2017 has said that the trust she placed on the Chief Minister’s promise of justice was ill-placed. “We were taken for a ride right from the beginning,” she said.
She was speaking to media here as part of her ‘Neethiyatra’ taken out from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram seeking action against the two police officers who investigated her daughters’ deaths.
“One of those police officers was promoted and it prompted me to fight for justice once again. (M.J.) Sojan who investigated the case is now SP and has been recommended to be conferred IPS. He sabotaged the investigation,” she said.
She said the Chief Minister had promised her that action would be taken against the police officers, but instead promoted one. “Why are the police trying so hard to save a few daily wage workers. I wonder whether the accused are the real culprits or whether someone else is involved,” she said.
Father’s view
The father of the girls said the police had tried to convince him to own up to the murders and told him that they would protect him. “They just wanted to foist the crime on anyone available.” Social activist C.R. Neelakantan and Dalit activist Serena Prakkanam accompanied them. Mr. Neelakantan said there was a lack of clarity with reference to the CBI investigation ordered into the case.
‘Probe anew’
“We do not trust the police FIR. The CBI investigation should launch a new investigation and ideally it should be under the control of the court,” Mr. Neelakantan said.
Ms. Prakkanam said the present government had come to power promising safety to women, but could not keep its word. “In 12 POCSO cases reported at the Walayar station alone, all accused have been set free,” she added.
The girls’ parents took part in public meetings across the district on Saturday demanding action against the police officers.
