Two persons, including a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader, have been arrested for their involvement in a suspected case of honour killing that has rocked Kerala. The police arrested DYFI leader Niyaz, 23, and Riyaz, 26, from Tamil Nadu. One person Ishan was already taken into custody.
The Congress-led UDF and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kottayam district on Tuesday to protest against the incident. Though private buses kept off the roads, KSRTC buses conducted services on Tuesday. Private vehicles and autorickshaws were also seen plying.
Tension prevailed in the Kerala district on Monday after the murder was first reported. 23-year-old Kevin P. Joseph, a newly wed youth from Kottayam, was allegedly abducted by an armed gang led by his wife's brother, and was found dead a day later in Kollam on Monday. Kevin's body was found in Chaliyakkara stream, 20 km from Thenmala, in Kollam district on Monday.
Kevin's body was found lying with face down. It is suspected that the body was dumped here after he was killed elsewhere. Footmarks are found on the banks of the stream.
Kevin's body was later shifted to Kottayam medical college for postmortem. The ambulance carrying his body was blocked by protesters and demands were raised to see his body. Sources said the postmortem would take place on Tuesday.
Kevin and the woman, who is studying in a college in Kottayam, had submitted the joint marriage registration application at the sub-registrar's office on Friday. Earlier reports had said they were already married.
The woman's relatives were allegedly upset with her for going against the wishes of her family.
Kerala Human Rights Commission said it was suspected to be a case of honour killing and ordered the state police chief to submit a report in three weeks if there was any negligence from the side of the police in investigating the case. National Minority Commission also sought a detailed report on the incidence from Kerala DGP, district collector and superintendent of police of Kottayam and Kollam.
Meanwhile, the incident has created a huge political storm in Kerala. BJP leader M.T. Ramesh slammed the LDF government for the crime by saying the real culprits in the case are the home ministry and the CPI(M). The biggest law and order issue the state faces today is posed by CPI(M) when it takes over 'quotation'. The police didn't pursue Kevin's abductors as they were CPI(M) members, he alleged. Ramesh sought a judicial probe into the honour killing and asked chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to give up the home ministry.
The victim's kin alleged that Kevin died due to police laxity as they refused to institute an investigation on the basis of his fiancee's complaint on Sunday.
A case has been registered against 10 persons including his fiancee's brother in connection with the incident.
(With inputs from Onmanorama, PTI)