Campus killing: Police detaining wives, kids of wanted men, say petitions

KOCHI: The investigation team probing the murder of Maharajas College student Abhimanyu is illegally detaining wives and children of persons wanted in connection with the case, it is alleged in three petitions filed before the Kerala high court.
A petition filed by Mansya KM, wife of Shameer, of Palluruthy said her husband, a sweet seller, was at home on the day of the murder.But she, a mother of three children aged 9, 6, and 4 years, is being subjected to illegal detention, harassment, and is facing threats of being implicated in the case, the petition said.
Mansya was summoned to Palluruthy police station at 4pm on July 12, taken to Ernakulam vanitha police station at 10.30pm, and detained there until 5pm on July 13. The next day, she was summoned to Ernakulam central police station at 10.30am and was detained there until 8pm. On July 15, she was again summoned to Vanitha police station and detained until 8.30pm. Her father Majeed is also under illegal detention and the petition to the high court was filed when she was again asked to appear before the police on Monday, stated the petition.
Nadira VS, wife of Manaf of Palluruthy, said in the petition that she was summoned to Palluruthy station at 3.30pm on July 11 and detained until 7.30pm. She was summoned again at 10am and detained until 5pm. On July 14, she was summoned to Central police station at 11am and detained until 8.30pm. On July 15, she was summoned to Vanitha police station and detained up to 8.30pm. Police threatened to implicate her and her 18-year-old daughter in the murder case, as per the petition.
The third petition filed by Shaharban, wife of Mohammed Saleem of Chungamveli, said police is looking for her sons Arif and Adil in connection with the murder case, but now the whole family is being subjected to illegal detention, threat, and harassment. Her husband Mohammed Saleem was taken into custody at 10.30am on July 4 and after detaining him for one day, he was implicated in the case over high court march and remanded. On the morning of July 13, her younger son Amir was detained and he is still under detention. At around noon on July 14, police summoned her and her 12-year-old daughter to police station and detained them there until 9pm. Police threatened that they would be implicated in the case and told them that their younger son Amir would be released only after getting Arif and Adil. Otherwise, Amir would be implicated in the case, police is alleged to have told the mother.
It is contended by the petitioners before the high court that the illegal detention, criminal intimidation, and false implication are illegal and amount to unconstitutional deprivation of fundamental right to life and liberty.
Police officers named as opposite parties in the petitions includes Ernakulam assistant commissioner K Laljy, Control Room assistant commissioner ST Suresh Kumar, Central sub inspector Joseph Sajan, Palluruthy sub inspector Aneesh KG, and Vanitha sub inspector Thresia Zosa.