PALAKKAD: The parents of the two minor Dalit sisters, who were sexually assaulted and were found hanging in their hut in Attappalam near Walayar in 2017, launched a satyagraha in front of their hut on Sunday, seeking justice from the government. They also demanded a High Court-monitored probe instead of the current reinvestigation.
The satyagraha, being organised by Justice for Walayar Sisters Forum, will continue from 9am to 5pm till October 31.
In a startling revelation during the day, the mother of the two girls told The New Indian Express that DYSP M J Sojan also asked her husband to own up being responsible for the death of her daughters.
“Pained by the questioning, he even tried to commit suicide in the shed where the children were found hanging,” she added.
The satyagraha venue carried a banner, ‘Alongside mother - From the day of the verdict up to the betrayal day’.
The satyagraha was held on the first anniversary of the acquittal of the accused in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act case.
District Congress Committee president V K Sreekantan, MP, who visited the venue, said the LDF government has betrayed the families of the two Dalit girls. He said the government had created an encounter with Maoists during the peak of protests against the Walayar girls’ deaths to divert the attention of the media and the public.
Office-bearers of the Justice for Walayar Sisters C R Neelakantan, Vilayodi Venugopal, Ajith Kollengode, M M Kabeer, Vijayan Ambalakad, Latha Menon and others were present at the venue. BJP district president E Krishnadas also visited the venue on Sunday.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and BJP state president K Surendran are scheduled to visit the venue on Monday to express solidarity with the girls’ parents. The LDF government is also being blamed for promoting then circle inspector Sojan and then sub-inspector of the Walayar police station P C Chacko as DySP and circle inspector, respectively. The girls’ mother alleged that there was one more accused in the case and Sojan and Chacko were trying to save that persons throughout the earlier probe.
‘Didn’t understand why they began satyagraha’
Palakkad: Minister for Law and Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes A K Balan, on Sunday, said that some people were trying to mislead the family members of the rape victims. “The state government has already initiated action on the Judicial Commission report submitted in the Walayar case. I don’t understand why the parents have begun a satyagraha on the issue. Some people are trying to mislead the girls’ family members,” Balan told reporters after the parents began the satyagraha, which will be held everyday from 9am to 5pm till October 31.
He wondered why the family was embarking on a satyagraha when the matter is before the court of law. “If somebody had misled them, at least now they should be ready to withdraw the protest. This is my request,” he said.