Rights panel probes missing kids case

Thiruvananthapuram: The

state commission for protection of child rights

has launched a probe into the mysterious disappearances of two schoolboys, Rahul, 15, and Abhijith, 16, from their homes in the city. Rahul had gone missing on Saturday night and Abhijith on Sunday afternoon. While Rahul, who went missing from his residence at Kannammoola, is yet to be traced, Abhijith was found dead in the Karamana river not far away from his residence at Nedumcaud near Karamana.

The commission has also demanded police to transfer the investigations from the local police to a special team. A senior officer not less than the rank of superintendent of police must conduct the investigation and an inspector general must supervise the probes, the commission demanded.

Commission chairperson P Suresh said on Thursday that he visited the parents of both boys and recorded their statements as part of the inquiry. “In Abhijith’s case, his parents have a doubt that his death could be owing to murder. He was stark naked when the body was found. The police are yet to recover clothes, adding mystery to the case,’’ Suresh said.

According to Rahul’s parents, he left home because they seized his secret mobile phone, the chairperson added. “His parents found out that he was using a mobile phone costing around Rs 2,500 and they seized it. It was after this he left home, allegedly stealing Rs 4,000 in cash from the house,’’ he said. In both the cases, the investigations by local police at Karamana and Medical College are yet to make any breakthrough. The city police are likely to issue a lookout notice in the name of Rahul in a bid to seek the help of the public in tracing the boy.