Rape & murder of minor girl in Kerala: Officer who brought Vandiperiyar case to light feels hard done by

Arjun had confessed to the police that he had raped the girl and hung her in the shawl after she became unconscious during the sexual assault.

Investigative officer T D Sunil Kumar

IDUKKI: It was on a late evening on June 30, 2021, that the Vandiperiyar police got the information that a 6-year-old girl had been brought dead to the community health centre in Vandiperiyar.

The girl was brought to the hospital after she was found hanging in a shawl in the pooja room of her house in Churakkulam Estate at 3.30 pm on June 30.

Upon being informed, when the cops led by Vandiperiyar CI visited the hospital, the family members of the girl were under the impression that the girl’s death was accidental as she used to play with shawls. Thinking it was an accidental death, the relatives were against conducting a post-mortem of the child.

However, the unnatural death and certain suspicions that the investigative officer T D Sunil Kumar, who was then the circle at the Vandiperiyar station, had raised resulted in the police registering a case and the girl’s body was sent for post-mortem examination at the Idukki Medical College Hospital. The autopsy report which came next day, revealed that the girl was raped before she was suffocated to death at the estate line room.

After the follow-up investigations, cross-examinations, statements and evidence collection, the girl’s neighbour and Churakkulam resident Arjun Sundar, 23, was arrested by the police imposing rape and murder charges against him. Arjun had confessed to the police that he had raped the girl and hung her in the shawl after she became unconscious during the sexual assault.

Two-and-half years after the crime, when the Kattappana Fast Track Court gave the judgment on the case on Thursday, Arjun was acquitted citing a lack of scientific evidence and lapses that occurred in the investigation process.

When the court pointed out the defects which the investigation officer made in his investigation, Sunil Kumar said that his investigation was on the right track and he had submitted all necessary evidence needed to prove the crime.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan returns after visiting the house of the 6-year-old girl in Vandiperiyar after the court verdict on Friday. MP Dean Kuriakose is also seen | Shiyami

State will file appeal against acquittal: CM

ALAPPUZHA: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the state government will file an appeal against the acquittal of the accused in rape and murder of a six-year-old child at Vandiperiyar in Idukki. While addressing a press conference as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas, Pinarayi said, it is not something the state can be proud of. “Steps have been taken to file an appeal against the verdict of the Special Fast Track Court.

The court has made some observations and it will be taken seriously. The verdict will be examined in detail and further action will be taken,” said Pinarayi. Responding to a question related to the sand mining at Thottapally and the agitation, the CM said, the mining will continue and it is to facilitate the flow of flood water from the Kuttanad. “Due to the removal of sand from the estuary of Thottapally, the flood situation has lessened in the region. If there is any need to widen the estuary more, the government will continue more mining of sand,” he said.

CI’S EXPLANATION

• On June 30, when the girl’s body was brought to the hospital by her relatives, the cops had reached the crime scene (estate line) and barricaded the spot. The next day (July 1) morning, inquest proceedings were done and the forensic officials and fingerprint experts collected evidence and the Mahsar was prepared the same day
• Although the fingerprint expert arrived at the crime spot on July 1, he stated that there was no chance of obtaining fingerprints and gave a letter later stating that fingerprints were not available from the crime spot
• Blood samples and other evidence collected from the girl’s body by the scientific expert were sealed and handed over to the police. However, material evidence like the dress of the accused and bedsheet were not sealed because as part of the investigation proceedings, the police wanted to verify the evidence with witnesses. So sealing was not possible
• The accused has given a statement that he wanted to make the crime a suicide one. So after hanging the girl, he locked the room door from inside. And since his only option was to escape through the window of the room, he opened it and ran away
• The fibre similar to the fibre in the accused person’s trousers found from the nail clippings of the victim and hairs of the accused collected from the bed sheet were major scientific evidence in the case
• After consenting with higher officials, we will proceed with an appeal at the High Court, he said