The Fort police came under fire for failing to locate the whereabouts of a former police officer, who is a key witness in a murder case, at the District Court on Saturday.
Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Judge-VII Prasun Mohan lashed out at the Fort police unit after being informed of its inability in locating the witness. Refusing to accept the excuse, the court questioned the lax attitude of the law enforcers in locating a retired government servant who has been regularly receiving his monthly pension without fail.
The criticism was made during the trial into the murder of Manacaud native Ayyappan Ashari, who was murdered in an incident that took place on August 28, 2004.
Former head constable of Fort police, M.S. Thankaraj, who had rushed the deceased and other injured persons to the hospital while he was on patrol duty, is the absconding witness. The trial in the case, which has 19 accused, has got underway after 19 years.
According to the prosecution led by special public prosecutor M. Salahudeen, a dispute related to flowers taken from a flower shop without payment for the Onam celebrations had culminated in the violent break-in and murder on the Thiruvonam day of 2004.
Ayyappan Ashari was the brother of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Rajagopal Ashari. The incident occurred after Satheesh, the son of the deceased, and his friend Sanal Kumar had taken flowers from the shop of one Rajendran near the Manacaud market.
This prompted a gang led by Rajendran’s friend and prime accused Anil Kumar alias Kadachal Ani of Balavan Nagar in Manacaud to attack Satheesh’s family. They allegedly murdered Ayyappan Ashari and grievously injured Rajagopal Ashari, Satheesh and his cousin Rajesh.
While Rajagopal Ashari died two months ago, another key eye-witness, Rajagopal’s wife Saraswathy died last month. During the trial, Rajagopal’s friend and RSS worker Ayyappan of Attukal was declared hostile. The auto-rickshaw driver claimed he had not seen the perpetrators when he reached the house since it was dark.
