Accusing the State government of attempting to protect the accused in the Vandiperiyar case, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal has demanded a judicial probe into the lapses in investigation of the case.
Addressing the Sthree jwala rally organised by the KPCC at Vandiperiyar on Sunday, Mr. Venugopal felt there could be a collusion taking place in the appeal on the case as well.
“The irresponsibility that the police showed in the Vandiperiyar case is unheard of in India. Critical evidence were destroyed due to police negligence and they set up a protective environment around the accused’’, he said.
He said that the police did not follow the protocol to be adhered to in the POCSO case and even tried to portray it as a natural death.
“The approaches by the CPI(M) and the State government towards the case gave them the courage to attack the victim’s father,” he added.
“What the women of this State need is protection,” said Mr. Venugopal. He also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of maintaining a hostile attitude towards Idukki.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan delivered the keynote address. The event, in which Sthree Jwala processions from Palakkad and Walayar reached Vandiperiyar, witnessed a huge participation by the public. A protest rally taken out by women in this connection concluded at the Vandiperiyar bus stand.
KPCC executive member V.P. Sajeendran presided over. AICC general secretary Deepa Das Munshi, AICC secretary Vishwanathan Perumal, Dean Kuriakos MP, MLAs, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Uma Thomas, Roji M. John and Anto Antony, MP, DCC president C.P. Mathew, and others spoke
