The principal sessions court in Kottayam district of Kerala on Thursday pronounced its verdict in the murder of a youth by the family of his fiancée last year. Ten people, including the brother of the fiancée of Kevin P. Joseph, were found guilty for his murder, which the court labelled as a “honour killing”. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on August 24.
The trial verdict was originally due on August 14, but was postponed.
Kevin P. Joseph (24), a resident of Nattasseri near Kottayam, was allegedly abducted and killed by a group of persons led by Syanu Chacko, the brother of his fiancée, Neenu, in May last year. Kevin was abducted two days after he and Neenu filed an application for marriage. Kevin was abducted with Aneesh, a relative, who was later released by the gang.
The honour killing sent shock waves through Kerala society, raising questions about the perception the state was liberal and progressive. Kevin was allegedly killed as Neenu's family opposed the marriage because he was a dalit Christian.
A total of 14 people were accused in the murder of Kevin, including Syanu Chacko and Chacko John, the father of Neenu, and some relatives and family friends. The names of the 14 accused were Syanu Chacko, Niyas Mon (Chinnu), Ishan Ismail, Riyas Ibrahimkutty, Chacko John, Manu Maraleedharan, Shefn Sajad, N. Nishad, Titu Jerome, Vishnu (Appunni), Fazil Sheriff, Shanu Shahjahan and Ramiz Sherif. Syanu has been convicted, but Chacko John has been acquitted.
also read
- Kerala: Motorcyclist gets entangled in rope tied for PM's security, dies
- The Kerala Story: Malayalis crowdsource about Rs 30 Cr in four days to save man from gallows in Saudi Arabia
- Despite uproar, two more Kerala Christian dioceses plan to screen 'The Kerala Story'
- Screening of 'The Kerala Story' in dioceses aligns with BJP, RSS agenda: CM Pinarayi
The accused were charged under various sections of the IPC including murder (Section 302), kidnapping (Section 364 A), criminal conspiracy (Section 120 B), house-trespass (Section 449), voluntarily causing hurt (Section 321), wrongful confinement (Section 342) and criminal intimidation (Section 506-2).
The police filed the charge-sheet in the case in August last year and the trial over the murder of Kevin began in April. In all 238 documents, 55 pieces of evidence and 113 witnesses were examined by the court. The mobile phone records of the accused, mobile phone photos, CCTV visuals from four different locations and the speed camera records provided by the Motor Vehicles Department were presented as crucial evidence.
Kevin's body was found in a river in Kollam district on May 28, 2018. His family alleged laxity by the local police in taking action on the missing person complaint filed by Neenu after Kevin went missing. As a result, two police officers of Gandhinagar police station in Kottayam—SI M.S. Shibu and ASI Sunnymon—were suspended, while Superintendent of Police V.M. Mohammed Rafique was transferred.
(With inputs from onmanorama)
