Newlywed man killed in Kerala hate crime

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A newly married man who was abducted allegedly by his wife’s family in Kottayam on Sunday was found dead with torture marks all over his body in Kollam district on Monday.

Kevin P Joseph, 23, a Dalit Christian and Neenu Chacko, 21, a Christian from an affluent family, got married against the wishes of the woman’s parents two days ago. On Sunday, Neenu had approached the Gandhi Nagar police station in Kottayam with a complaint that her husband was abducted and she suspected her brother’s involvement in it. But the police reportedly told her that the chief minister was in the district and the case would be taken up only after he left the district.

After the news of the death went viral, the state government transferred the Kottayam police superintendent and suspended a sub-inspector and appointed a special investigation team to probe the case. “It is an unfortunate incident. Police have some leads in the case and all accused will be arrested soon,” said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

However, he criticised the move to link the incident with his visit to Kottayam on Sunday. “Usually the CM’s security is handled by a special team and not the local police. It is unfair to club laxity on the part of some police officials with my visit,” he said. But later the duty roster released by some news channels found that the station in charge and others were on CM’s escort duty.

MAN BEATEN TO DEATH

GORAKHPUR: A 20-year-old man was hung from a tree upside down and beaten to death allegedly by the family members of a 21-year-old woman, with whom he was allegedly in a relationship, in Lala Tola village in Pipraich area of Gorakhpur on Sunday, police said.

Station house officer, Pipraich, Arun Shukla said three people, including the woman’s parents and brother, were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the father of the victim.