How Kundara death probe exposed same officers' role in another goof-up

The post-mortem report clearly stated he was strangled, the police refused to probe the murder angle The case was reopened after a serious lapse was found in the probe into the death of a minor girl

Shaji, 32, was found hanging at his residence in Kundara two months ago. Though the post-mortem report had clearly stated that he was strangled, the police officers who investigated the case refused to probe the murder angle and concluded the case as suicide.

Now, after re-investigating the case, the police have reached the conclusion that Shaji was in fact murdered. His wife Asha and two men have been arrested in connection with the case.

The case was reopened after a serious lapse was found in the probe into another case in Kundara - the death of a minor girl who, as it turned out, was sexually abused by her grandfather.

Kundara circle inspector R Shabu and sub inspector Rasheed were suspended from service for dereliction of duty and lapses in investigation after it had emerged that they ignored the post-mortem report which said the girl was repeatedly abused

The two police officers had handled Shaji's death probe as well.

With the police laxity and inaction in both cases becoming clearer, it will be interesting to see if they were mere goof-ups or whether the officers were covering up for the accused.