Government Orders Crime Branch Probe Into CA Student’s Death

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government on Monday announced a Crime Branch police probe into the recent mysterious death of an 18-year old Mishel Shaji Varghese pursuing Chartered Accountancy in Kochi.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made the announcement in the state assembly even as Congress-led UDF opposition staged a walk out alleging police inaction and demanding action against "erring" investigators. The body of the girl was found in the backwaters near Ernakulam wharf last week and the family has said she died under mysterious circumstances as there was no possibility of her committing suicide. Replying to a notice of adjournment motion moved by Kerala Congress (J) leader Anoop Jacob, Vijayan said a special investigation team of the Crime Branch would probe the case. He said investigation was going on in the right direction and those responsible would be brought before law, however, highly-placed they may be.

Mishel, a native of Elanji, Periyapuram, Piravom, was pursuing a professional course and staying at Kacheripaddy to study the Chartered Accountancy course. She left the hostel on Sunday evening after telling the authorities that she was going to the Kaloor church. However, there was no information about her after that. Her body was found from premises of the Ernakulam wharf at 8.45 pm on Monday last.

"Police have intervened into the issue effectively since they received the missing complaint by the Mishel's parents. They tried to collect her mobile phone details soon after this and launched thorough investigation," he said. "Now, the investigation is going on... But considering the gravity of the issue, the Crime Branch will further investigate the case," Chief Minister added. He said the agency would also probe the claim that the local police had refused to accept the complaint by the girl's parents on March 5, the day she had went missing.

"There will be no laxity on the part of investigators and stringent action will be taken if found so," he said adding the government would not let criminals to upset the state's peaceful social atmosphere. Jacob alleged Police was trying to write off the girl's death as a case of drowning or suicide and had accepted the post mortem report, he said. He alleged that police 'inaction' to accept the complaint led to the girl's death.

Accusing police of trying to turn every such 'unnatural' death into suicides, he said "Atrocities against women and children are on the rise in the state. The government is making only pronouncements, but in reality nothing seems to be happening," he charged. CCTV visuals of a local church had showed that two persons, on a motorbike, were seen following her just before she had gone missing, Jacob said rejecting the Crime Branch probe as inadequate.

Congress leader K C Joseph said had the police accepted the complaint on the day the girl went missing and started the probe, the tragedy could have been averted. "Police is misleading CM in this regard," he alleged. The opposition staged a walkout as Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan refused permission for the motion.