KOCHI: The state government on Monday submitted before the Kerala High Court that offence under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC has been invoked against Arun Anand, the accused in the brutal killing of a seven-year-old boy in Thodupuzha.
When the suo motu proceedings initiated by the High Court to consider setting up an effective mechanism against every kind of child abuse in the backdrop of Thodupuzha incident came up for hearing, the government informed that the investigation in the case was progressing in the right direction and the accused was in judicial custody.
The division bench headed by the Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy issued a notice to the state government, State police chief and Idukki district police chief, directing them to file a statement within four weeks. Court initiates suo motu proceedings based on letter. The boy, who was attacked by Arun Anand, his mother’s partner, succumbed to injuries on April 6.
The court initiated proceedings based on a letter inviting attention to the horrendous case. The letter had stated: “It is with no uncertain pride that we have long proclaimed to the world that Kerala is ‘God’s own country’. However, a few events of the recent past show that sometimes ‘Devils’ also have their way. When that happens, the High Court has a definite role to play, as the vanguard of the liberties of our citizens, particularly our precious children; and as the protector of our ethos long cherished by us as a community.”