Thiruvananthapuram
On Saturday, Kerala Police detained members of the BJP’s Mahila Morcha who were protesting against the acquittal of 24-year-old Arjun in connection with the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Vandiperiyar, Idukki. The women’s wing of the BJP accused the police of assisting the accused in avoiding severe charges. The police, dissatisfied with the court’s ruling, decided to challenge the acquittal in the Special Fast Track Court at Kattappana.
In 2021, the tragic incident occurred when a six-year-old girl was found hanging at her home in Idukki. Arjun was subsequently arrested under POCSO, rape, and murder charges. However, the recent court verdict acquitted him, citing a lack of prosecutable evidence.
The victim’s family expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, asserting that justice was not served. Opposition leader VD Satheesan condemned the ruling, emphasizing that post-mortem findings indicated the victim had been tortured before her murder. Satheesan called for an investigation into potential external interference affecting the case’s legal scrutiny. BJP leader Surendran criticized the police for allegedly favoring the accused due to his political affiliation, accusing them of omitting serious charges in the chargesheet. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for a thorough examination of the case.
