The haste shown by the local police to implement an eviction order by a lower court even as the matter was pending before the high court allegedly led to the tragic death of a couple in Neyyatinkara of Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram recently.
Immediately after Rajan, 47, and Ambili, 40, attempted self-immolation, the High Court had stayed the directive issued by the Neyyattinkara munsiff court, reveals a copy of the High Court order obtained by Manorama News.
Rajan and Ambili, natives of Nellimoodu in Neyyattinkara – succumbed to burns at the government medical college hospital in Thiruvananthapuram after they sustained multiple organ failure on Monday. They had accidentally immolated themselves to stop an eviction drive on December 22.
The video of the their two teenaged children – Rahul and Renjith – wailing outside the hospital for help to cremate their father at the disputed land as per his last wish went viral on the social media, following which many have offered them help to construct an own house.
Rajan had filed an appeal before the high court on December 21 against the munsiff’s eviction order and the court considered the case the next day afternoon. However, even before the high court issued any directive, the Neyyattinkara police tried to implement the lower court order, leading to the incident in which the couple suffered burns.
The high court bench of Justice V Shercy stayed the implementation of the Neyyattinkara court’s order till January 15 and issued directives to send notices to five persons, including Pongil Vasantha, belonging to the opposite party in the litigation. The high court also posted the case for the next hearing on January 15.
CM’s assurance
As the opposition Congress took up the matter and criticised police for the unfortunate incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that his government would take over the protection of the children.
He issued orders to construct a house for Rajan’s children with government funds and meet their educational expenses. Any lapses on the part of the officials would also be checked, he added.
"The government will take over their protection and other responsibilities.
We will meet their educational expenses and construct a house for them," he said in Thrissur when he came there as part of his state-wide tour to meet dignitaries in various fields ahead of the assembly election, due next year.
The Youth Congress has already announced that they were ready to construct a house for the hapless children while the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth arm of the ruling CPI(M),said they would meet their educational expenses.
Minister visits house
In a related development, Minister Kadakampally Surendran visited the house of the deceased couple. “The person who filed the complaint against the couple will be taken into custody and all those guilty will be brought to book. Any lapses on the part of the police will also be examined,” he said.
“Some people are trying to take advantage of the situation. So, an elaborate investigation is needed into the incident,” the minister added.
He also said that the government would take up the responsibility of the late couple’s children.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Police instructed the Superintendent of Police (Rural) to examine whether the local police had erred in the incident.
Son, sister blame police
Renjith, 17, son of the couple, had himself dug the pit for burying Rajan on the disputed property. He said that he had no other option as the police had prevented the others from digging the ground. Even as Rajan was being buried, Ambili died in hospital.
Rajan’s sister also blamed the police for the couple’s death. “It was not a suicide. Rajan had doused himself with petrol and had only threatened self-immolation. However, the police tried to grab the lighter from his hand, sparking the fire,” she said.
Chennithala consoles children
While Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday demanded a probe into the alleged lapses from police during the eviction drive. Chennithala contacted the late couple’s children over phone and consoled them, MLAs from his front visited the house.
Meanwhile, the local people intercepted the ambulance carrying Ambili's body, seeking a written assurance from the government about the protection offered to the children.
Based on the complaint of human rights activist Ashwathy Jwala, the State Human Rights Commission on Tuesday ordered a probe into the alleged lapses on the part of the police who failed to prevent the death of the couple. Justice Antony Dominic, chairman of the rights panel, asked the rural SP to submit an inquiry report within four weeks.
According to police, the immolation incident occurred on December 22 when police and an advocate commission appointed by a local court had gone to Rajan's house to implement a judicial order to evict him and his family from a three cent poramboke land based on the complaint of a neighbour. Last June also, there was an attempt to evict the family from the disputed land.
