KOZHIKODE: 31 years after the death of a four-and-a-half-year-old adopted girl child, her mother was sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment on Saturday. The Kozhikode first additional district and sessions court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on 50-year-old Beena, alias Haseena, a native of Devikulam in Idukki, for the brutal murder of Mini alias Sari. However, police have failed to apprehend Ganeshan, the first accused in the case, who is still absconding.
It was on November 21, 1991 that Mini died after being brutally harassed by the couple. Beena and Ganeshan had brought the child to the Kozhikode Medical College with severe injuries. After admitting the child, they absconded, the police said.
Initially, the Kozhikode Medical College police registered a case for unnatural death. Later, it was handed over to the Town police, which re-registered a case for murder. Beena had adopted the girl from a migrant woman from Ernakulam and brought her to Kozhikode. Investigation revealed the couple used to harass the girl continuously.
The autopsy report found 76 severe injuries on the child’s body. The couple had even locked the child inside a room for days on end without giving her food or water. Though the two were arrested, they absconded after being released on bail. 28 years after she jumped the bail, Beena was nabbed from Kalamassery in Ernakulam in March, 2021. Later, she was sent to judicial custody.
The court recorded the statements of 15 witnesses and examined 15 documents. Medical evidence and postmortem report proved the intensity of cruelty the child suffered. Additional Public Prosecutors Joju Syriac and Muhsin K represented the prosecution.