Kochi: Devananda’s parents raise suspicion over initial report

KOLLAM: Demanding a comprehensive probe into the death of

Devananda

alias

Ponnu

, her parents and grandparents have raised suspicions over the assumption that it was a case of

drowning

.


Talking to mediapersons, Devananda’s mother Dhanya said it was within a few minutes since she last saw Devananda that she went missing from the house. Her father Pradeepkumar said he was waiting for the detailed autopsy report.

Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital’s initial report made available said the death was caused by drowning.

However, local people and Devananda’s grandparents strongly rejected this theory.

Devananda’s grandfather Mohanan Pillai said the girl had never gone to the riverside either with the parents or alone. He also pointed out that there was no chance for the girl to reach the spot where the body was found.

“The child wouldn’t even visit the neighbouring houses alone. She would invite children to our house to play with them,” he said.

It was at 10.30am on Thursday that Devananda went missing. As the house is on the banks of Ithikkara river’s tributary, search operations were held throughout the day in the river on the apprehension that the girl could have been drowned.

At the same time, police had launched statewide vehicle checking suspecting that the girl could be abducted.

However, on Friday morning, the girl’s body was fished out from the river, about 400m away from her house.

Following the postmortem, the body was brought to Pradeep’s house and buried at the house premises at Kudavattoor on Friday evening.

SIT to probe case
A special investigation team led by Chathannur ACP George Koshy is probing the case. City police commissioner T Narayanan had stated that they would probe all aspects related to the case.

However, the fact that the police sniffer dog had run-up to a deserted house in the neighbourhood is raising suspicion. The dog also had reached the spot where the girl’s body was found.

The inquest report and the initial postmortem report, which was released on Friday, had not mentioned any bruises on the body or any signs of a struggle.

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