The body of Devananda (Ponnu), who went missing from Elavur on Thursday, was recovered by divers from Ithikara river that flows near her home.
The body of the seven-year-old was found floating near the bushes when the search party resumed operations on Friday morning. Her preliminary autopsy report revealed that the girl died of drowning and according to the inquest her body carried no injuries or marks of assault.
She was wearing the same clothes she was last seen in and the primary assumption of the police is that the girl must have fallen into the water when she ventured out on her own. Meanwhile, many residents expressed suspicion in the death and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has demanded a probe into the alleged mystery.
Daughter of Pradeep Kumar and Dhanya of Dhanesh Bhavanam, Nedumankavu, the child was a student of the Saraswathy Vidyalaya, Kudavattoor. She went missing on Thursday morning when her mother was washing clothes outside their house.
According to her mother, she had instructed Devananda to stay indoors and keep a watch on her three-month-old younger brother who was sleeping at that time. When she returned after the chore, she found the girl missing and the front door open. The mother alerted the neighbours and they conducted a search for the girl in nearby areas before informing the police. Her father Pradeep, who works abroad, could reach Kollam only on Friday morning and it was his daughter's lifeless body that awaited him.
The police had launched an intensive search and a 50-member special investigation team, including cyber experts, was formed to track the girl on Thursday itself. Fire and Rescue Services team, diving experts and dog squad had joined the search party, but the girl could not be traced.
Taking into account the possibility of kidnapping, strict vehicle checks were carried out and all major roads, railway stations and bus stands in the district were put under strict surveillance.
After a post-mortem at the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, her body was brought to Kollam around 5 p.m. and hundreds of people, including officials, politicians and the public, paid homage to her. Ministers including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, politicians, actors and prominent figures from all fields condoled the untimely demise of Devananda.
