A special squad of the Crime Branch that recently investigated the unnatural death of tribesman Viswanathan near the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital could not find any concrete evidence to prove the allegations of his family members and relatives that the man had ended his life following a public trial.
The squad came out with the final report rejecting the allegations after a six-month long probe into the incident.
Sources said many of the previous findings of the local police were found true in the latest reinvestigation by the Crime Branch. Apart from verifying the previous case files, the team had re-recorded the statements of complainants and a few human rights activists. Re-examination of CCTV visuals was also done, besides interrogating some of the suspected persons based on forensic reports.
It was on February 11, 2023 that the 46-year-old from Wayanad was found hanging from a tree near the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. The man who went to the hospital as a bystander for the delivery of his wife reportedly fled from the spot unable to withstand the alleged harassment in the name of a stolen mobile phone on February 9. The police had registered a case of unnatural death as his family members alleged that the death occurred following a public trial.
The Crime Branch took up the probe as the special investigation team of the police could not track any suspect behind the alleged public trial. The claim of police officers who were initially part of the probe was that the contradictory statements made by a few bystanders quizzed in connection with the incident had made it difficult for them to zero in on the suspects.
According to the initial investigation report, some of those who were caught on camera while talking to Viswanathan were not actually part of any sort of quarrel with him. In the preliminary investigation, it was also found that some of the previously suspected were actually listening to his grievances regarding the theft charges. The security guards at the medical college also failed to identify anyone suspected of being part of the alleged public trial.
As the incident drew national attention, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes had ordered a comprehensive probe into the incident, apart from seeking reports from the State Police Chief and the District Police Chief (Kozhikode). The Kerala State Human Rights Commission and the Kerala State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes had also intervened with separate orders to ensure a fair probe into the incident.
