Punia seeks immediate arrest of Dalit woman’s perpetrators

“This is highly shocking,” Punia said after meeting the victim’s mother in a hospital. He also visited the victim’s house in Perumbavoor and asked the Kerala police to immediately arrest the culprits.

Noting that “Kerala has never been known for this kind of brutality as we see in North India, including New Delhi”, Punia said there has been “some flaw” in implementing the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 enacted against the backdrop of Delhi gang-rape incident in Kerala in its letter and spirit.

“...It is a matter of concern that the culprits have not been arrested so far. Whatever efforts have been taken, that has not reflected in the arrest of the culprits,” said Punia, who was briefed by the top police officials about the steps taken to nab the culprits. He said the police told him that they had already interrogated a number of people in connection with the incident.

“About 125 people have been interrogated, questioned, and 10 very intensely questioned and they are hopeful that something would come out and the culprit would be arrested within next one or two days,” he said.

“If an arrest is made, we can say that they made all efforts. But if these efforts do not yield result, then they are all useless. So my worry, caution and warning to the District Police Chief is to arrest the culprit immediately. And this is the demand of the mother. She is not demanding money, she is not demanding a job. She is demanding the arrest of the culprits so that the justice is done,” Punia said.

Asked whether he felt that a CBI probe was required into the incident, Punia, who also met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, said: “The family is not interested in who investigates” and they only want to see the immediate arrest of the culprits.

“I wanted that..if there has been any delay and can we ask for a CBI probe...But they are not very keen on CBI probe. If the family wants, we can definitely push for the CBI probe,” he added.

“The mother’s entire life depended on her daughter. She had high expectations from her and her dreams have been shattered with her daughter’s death...a very unfortunate incident,” Punia said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Social Justice Thawar Chand Gehlot also visited the victim’s mother. He assured her that the Centre would ensure that the family gets justice.

Gehlot kept the media at bay, citing the Model Code of Conduct in place in the state in wake of May 16 Assembly elections.  The brutal rape and murder of the law student on April 28 at her small wayside home was raised in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday said he was monitoring the case on an hourly basis and asserted that the culprits would be brought to book at the earliest. “It is a serious case. It is a time-taking investigation,” he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah has set up a three-member committee to look into atrocities against Dalit women in Kerala. Team members – Arjun Ram Meghwal, Meenakshi Lekhi and Udit Raj (all MPs) – will visit the state and meet family members of the victims.