Opposition alleges political hand in Kerala honour killing

UDF demands CBI probe into death of young Dalit man, as well as action against police

The dastardly murder of a 23-year-old man from Kottayam district last month rocked the Kerala assembly yesterday, with the Opposition United Democratic Front holding the police responsible for the killing, and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the incident.

Kevin P. Joseph, a native of Kottayam district, who had married Neenu Chacko hailing from Thenmala near Thiruvananthapuram, was abducted just a few days after their marriage by a gang led by Neenu’s father and brother.

Neenu’s family was reportedly opposed to her marrying Joseph, a Dalit Christian.

Despite Neenu and Joseph’s father lodging complaints with the Gandhi Nagar police station in Kottayam, the police delayed action and Joseph’s body was found in a river near Thenmala the following day.

When the House met on Monday morning, former home minister and Congress leader, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan called for an adjournment motion, saying there was a “serious lapse” on the part of the police in handling the complaint, and that the laxity led to Joseph’s death.

Responding to the charges, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who holds the home portfolio, said Joseph’s murder was a case of honour killing and it was wrong to attribute political reasons to it.

Opposition leaders pointed to the alleged involvement of Democratic Youth Federation of India workers in the abduction of Joseph, while the ruling party members said Neenu’s father Chacko, and mother Rehna were Congress workers.