KOCHI: In a major breakthrough in the probe into the alleged ‘love jihad’ case in Kothamangalam, the parents of prime accused Ramees were taken into custody by Kerala Police from their hideout in Salem on Monday morning. The duo, who had been absconding since their names surfaced in the investigation, are being brought to Ernakulam and their formal arrest will be recorded later in the day, police sources said.
“As per the revelations in the suicide note, both of them were booked under charges of abetment of suicide. The probe team intends to question them further. However, they had gone into hiding to evade arrest,” said an officer with the Ernakulam rural police.
Meanwhile, the court is set to hear the custody application of Ramees, 24, who is currently lodged in judicial custody. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has sought a five-day custody period to pursue further leads in the case.
The case pertains to the death of Sona Eldhose, 23, who died by suicide in Kothamangalam on August 9. Her family has alleged that she was a victim of forced religious conversion as part of a ‘love jihad’ plot. In a petition submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on August 12, Sona’s family demanded that the probe be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), warning that the incident had serious national security implications. Sona’s mother, Bindu A K, had accused Ramees of attempting to coerce her daughter into converting to another religion, adding that the crime could be linked to extremist networks. “This is not just about my daughter. It is about protecting other young women from similar exploitation,” she had said, in the petition to the CM.
The family also pointed to Panayikkulam in Aluva, Ramees’ native place, which had come under the scanner in 2006 when police busted a secret meeting of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) there Kerala’s first terrorism case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, later probed by the NIA. The Ernakulam rural police have constituted a 10-member SIT led by the Muvattupuzha DySP to probe all angles, including abetment of suicide, rape under the pretext of marriage, and possible links to extremist outfits. “
