Kozhikode
Even after a three-year-long investigation, the police are yet to come up with any breakthrough to net the suspect behind the murder of transgender woman Shalu, whose body was found on a city road in 2019. Attempts by the police to identify the killer based on a crucial closed circuit television grab did not succeed as the blurred visuals turned out to be a cover for the suspect to remain unidentified.
Though the probe was taken up by the Crime Branch in 2020, it was also losing steam with no major step forward in gathering evidence. Alleged silence by prominent human rights organisations and activists coupled with poor review by higher-ups have led to slowing down the investigation.
“We are really shocked to learn that her murderer is still at large. It is tough to admit that our investigation teams are incapable of cracking such a major case even after making tall claims,” said a transgender activist, who was in the forefront to fight the case. According to her, the major reasons for cold-shouldering the case was the lack of proper interest by the investigators.
Functionaries of a Non-Governmental Organisation working for the welfare of transgender community said the revelations made by a prominent theatre personality that the bed sheet found on the body of the victim at the scene of the murder was from the office of a local film society were not investigated properly. His statements that there were attempts to molest transgender persons at the film society’s office were also taken lightly, he said.
Cicily George, who was one of the close friends of Shalu and a member of the Transgender Justice Board, said she had filed petitions with the Chief Minister and State Police Chief three consecutive times seeking a fair investigation into the incident. “I had also met the investigating officers to check the progress of the case. The frequent transfer of some of the senior officers is badly affecting the progress of the probe,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, Crime Branch sources said there was no purposeful delay in the investigation by officials. The main challenge was the lack of strong incriminating evidence even after quizzing more than 100 persons and examining the CCTV footage from over 300 locations, they said.
