Jisha rape and murder case: Scientific evidence trapped guilty Ameerul Islam

KOCHI: After the gruesome murder of Jisha, the accused Ameerul Islam who left Perumbavoor on the night of April 28, 2016, was vigilant not to use his mobile phone to avoid being tracked and caught by the investigators. But the probe team located Ameerul’s mobile number after he inadvertently inserted his SIM card in another mobile phone which received a service SMS from the mobile operator. The CDR recorded the SMS which helped the investigators trace the location of the accused who was on the run in Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu.

With no eyewitness to the crime in the case, strong circumstantial and scientific evidence trapped the Assamese migrant worker, the lone accused in the case. Sreelekha, Jisha’s neighbour at Vattolippadi, a key witness in the case, saw the accused on the rear side of Jisha’s house, walking towards the west side and later stepping down into the canal. She also identified the accused in the identification parade held at the Kakkanad district jail on June 20, 2016.

Leela, another witness, saw someone bending down and getting up at the rear side of Jisha’s house on April 28 evening. The accused came to his room around 6.30 pm on April 28 in a perplexed mood. He was sweating profusely and he left the room hastily stating he had some problems. He told his friends he would tell them the reason later. Following his arrest, when he was examined by the doctor, Ameerul admitted a wound on his right index finger was a bite injury inflicted by the victim during his attempt to silence her. This admission established his presence at the scene of the crime.

A scientific investigation based on the DNA samples of Ameerul collected from the nail clipping of the victim, the saliva and blood stains found in the churidar worn by the victim and the blood stains found on the door frame of Jisha’s house, call detail records and the statement given by a homemaker, who Jisha’s neighbour, confirmed the involvement of the Assamese migrant labourer in the coldblooded murder. Besides, the DNA samples collected from the blood stains found on the knife used by Ameerul to attack the victim and on his chappals matched the DNA of Jisha.

This also helped the prosecution establish his presence at the crime scene. The DNA examination results substantiated the accused was present at the residence of Jisha on April 28 evening. Besides, the accused had not given a satisfactory explanation on why he had gone to their residence. The call records of the mobile phone number 9207185407, which was used by the accused, stated Ameerul had a 55-minute conversation at 5.41 pm on April 28, 2016. According to the investigators, during this time, he was within the tower location which is 3 km away from Vattolippadi. The blood stains collected from the door frame on the rear side of Jisha’s house were of ‘A’ group belonging to the accused as per the examinations.

THE MOTIVE

The attempt of the accused to commit rape was vehemently resisted by the victim and accused became unsuccessful in completing a conventional rape to his satisfaction as it is evident from the injury sustained to the victim and the posture of the body found lying, according to the chargesheet submitted by the probe team. The failure of the accused to satisfy his lust to his satisf-action made him frustrated. “Coupled with these, the realisation of the fact the accused could be later identified by the victim if she was left alive, prompted him to finish off the victim” is the motive to commit such a brutal murder, it stated.

‘JISHA WAS MURDERED FOR RESISTING SEXUAL ASSAULT’

Kochi: Jisha lived in a single-room 150 sq ft house along with her daily-wage labourer mother at a canal poramboke (waste land) at Vattolippadi near Kuruppampadi in Perumbavoor. As per the charge sheet, an inebriated Ameerul barged into Jisha’s house when she was alone and murdered her when she resisted his sexual assault. Jisha’s genitals were pulled out. She had sustained at least 30 stab wounds behind her head, on her chest, chin and neck, and succumbed to the injuries.

Jisha’s mother discovered her body inside the house. According to the investigation team, the dresses worn by Ameerul while escaping from Kerala to Assam after the incident and the mobile phone he used were not recovered. Ameerul, who left Perumbavoor a day after the murder, was arrested from Kancheepuram in TN on June 16, 50 days later.