Kerala 'Honour Killing': Two Cops in Custody Over 'Links' With Dalit Youth's Killers

Kottayam: Two police personnel have been taken into custody in connection with the alleged honour killing of a man, a top police officer said here on Wednesday.

ASI Biju and police driver Ajaya Kumar of Gandhinagar police station near here were detained for suspected links with the gang that had abducted and killed 23-year old Kevin P Joseph, Ernakulam Range IG Vijay Sakhare, heading the probe team, said.

Joseph, a Dalit Christian, was abducted on May 27 by the gang allegedly engaged by his fiancee's family. His body was found in a river in Kollam district a day later.

His relatives have alleged that he was tortured and killed two days after he and his fiancee filed a joint application for marriage registration at a sub-registrar office near here.

The IG told reporters here that "prima facie evidence" suggested that the two police personnel, detained on Tuesday, had links with the gang which had abducted and killed Joseph.

They were being interrogated, he said, and indicated they might be arraigned as accused in the case, which has rocked the state with opposition Congress and BJP slamming the LDF

government.

So far 14 persons have been named as accused, he said. They will be charged under various sections of IPC including 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

Five of them, including father of Joseph's fiancee Chacko John (50) and brother Syanu Chacko (26), have been arrested.

Police said cars allegedly used in the abduction of Joseph were seized on Wednesday from Punaloor area in Kollam district.

Sub-Inspector M S Shibu and Grade ASI Sunnymon of the Gandhinagar police station were on Tuesday suspended for laxity while Kottayam District Superintendent of Police V M Mohammed

Rafique was transferred following the incident.

Joseph's fiancee, whose father is a Christian and mother a Muslim, has alleged laxity on the part of police when she approached the Gandhinagar police station with a missing complaint earlier.

The police did not pay heed even after she made an appeal to the sub-inspector that Joseph's life was in danger and he should be rescued, she had said.

Kerala Human Rights Commission has said it was suspected to be a case of honour killing and ordered the state police chief to submit a report in three weeks.