Kerala: Tribal boy found hanging in Wayanad police station; school records confirm he was minor

Investigations into the custodial death of Gokul, a tribal boy found hanging in Kalpetta police station, have revealed he was a minor. 

Wayanad: Serious lapses have emerged in the custodial death case of Gokul, a tribal youth found hanging inside Kalpetta police station in Wayanad. Investigations have revealed that Gokul was a minor at the time of his death, contradicting the police’s claim. According to his school transfer certificate, accessed by Asianet News, Gokul was born on May 5, 2007, and was two months short of turning 18.

The police had taken Gokul into custody from Kozhikode on Monday evening in connection with a missing minor girl. However, instead of releasing him, the police allegedly made him stay at the station overnight. On Tuesday morning, around 7:45 am, he was found hanging in the station’s restroom.

Case Background & Investigation

Gokul, a native of Ambalavayal, was taken into custody after he was found with a missing minor girl. The girl had been missing since the 26th of last month. During the investigation, the police found both the girl and the young man in Kozhikode.
While the girl was shifted to a shelter home, Gokul was asked to remain in the station. The police maintain that he died by suicide using his shirt tied to a shower hook. However, since his death occurred inside police custody, it is officially classified as a custodial death, prompting a judicial investigation.

Police also stated that no POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case had been registered against him. The incident has raised concerns, especially as it echoes a similar case from the past. Earlier, a tribal youth named Ratheesh from Panamaram had also allegedly died by suicide under suspicious circumstances after police reportedly threatened him with a POCSO case for talking to a minor girl.