THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said a special investigation team under the Crime Branch wing would be set up to probe the Mishel Shaji death case and vowed stern action against cops for lapses in the investigation. ‘’The postmortem report of Mishel says she drowned. A mobile tower location-based probe by a special team of the Crime Branch can be ordered,’’ he said.
The Chief Minister was replying to charges in the Assembly that the police were trying to downplay the atrocities against women and children in the state. He said offenders in all cases will be dealt with sternly, irrespective of who all are involved.
“Swift police action in the Kottiyoor case is an example. The government will oppose all criminal activities by perpetrators to challenge the existing social atmosphere in the state,’’ he said.
The alleged callousness of the police to respond properly and launch a foolproof probe into the missing and mysterious death of Mishel Shaji at Kochi was raised by the Opposition to establish the growing insecurity for women and children in the state and stage a walkout.
Congress legislature party secretary K C Joseph led the walkout in the absence of Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala.
The Opposition UDF and the Kerala Congress (M) independent bloc blamed the police for ‘displaying an over enthusiasm to convert murders into suicides.’ On his notice to move an adjournment motion, Anoop Jacob (KC-J) said the police are clearly trying to downplay the atrocities against women and children in the state. “Cases of torture of women and children are mounting. The government is not acting,” he said.
“On March 5, Mishel’s parents and nuns from the hostel where she was staying had rushed to the Ernakulam central police station around 9 pm saying there are no whereabouts of the girl from 6.10 pm. The cops refused to accept the complaint and scan the CCTV footage near the church in Kaloor where she had gone to offer prayers in the evening,’’ he said.
“Neither the mobile tower location where her cellphone had switched off nor the footage of the two youths found following her on a motorbike was probed. The complaint was registered only the next day and even then it was not found fit by cops as a ‘woman missing’ case. Surveillance cameras in Ernakulam city limits are dysfunctional,’’ Anoop Jacob said.
“The body of the girl was found in the backwaters of Kochi Harbour wharf on March 6 evening. The police were eager to write it off as a case of ‘drowning’,’’ Anoop Jacob said.