Tovino Thomas leads voter turnout as Kerala polls heat up
Actor Tovino Thomas casts his vote in Thrissur as Kerala records impressive voter turnout. Key constituencies see fierce electoral battles in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Kevin P Joseph, a newly married man, was found dead in a stream near Thenmala in Kollam district on Monday, police said. The man had been allegedly abducted by his wife’s relatives.
It is suspected that the relatives of Kevin’s wife had sent a gang of criminals to abduct the young man.
Kevin, 23, who belonged to a Dalit Christian family with a humble background, had married 21-year-old Neenu Chacko, also a Christian, two days ago. She belongs to an affluent family and the couple had married against the wishes of the girl’s parents.
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As the victim’s kin alleged that Kevin died due to police laxity as it refused to institute an investigation on the basis of his wife’s complaint lodged on Sunday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Monday a special investigation team would be constituted to probe the suspected honour-killing case. Vijayan also denied reports that police showed laxity in investigating the case initially.
The police in Kottayam and Thenmala in Kollam, from where the body was recovered, were investigating the case and all efforts were being made to nab the accused as early as possible, the chief minister said.
A case has been registered against 10 unidentified persons in connection with the incident.
The police claimed that they recovered Kevin’s body only after they arrested one of the accused and questioned him.
According to media reports, Kevin was abducted along with his relative Aneesh on Sunday morning from the latter’s residence by a gang that arrived in three vehicles.
Aneesh was later abandoned by the gang on the wayside after brutal torture.
(With agency inputs)
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