Kalpetta: The Kerala government has consented to transferring the investigation into the custodial death of Gokul, an 18-year-old tribal youth, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision follows allegations of police negligence after Gokul was found dead in the washroom of the Kalpetta police station on April 1, a day after he was taken into custody in connection with the disappearance of a minor girl.

According to a notification published in the Kerala Gazette on June 6, the state government granted consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act for the CBI to investigate the case, registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitha, 2023, at Kalpetta police station.

Gokul, a resident of Nellarachal in Wayanad, and the missing minor girl were detained from Kozhikode on March 31. While the girl was shifted to a government shelter home, Gokul remained in custody as it was too late to produce him before a Magistrate. He was found hanging inside the police toilet the next morning.

Two police officers on duty at the time, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deepa and Civil Police Officer Sreejith, were suspended after a preliminary inquiry by Wayanad District Police Chief Taposh Basumatari.

Although the postmortem found no signs of custodial torture or physical injury, the police were criticised for failing to ensure proper surveillance and care. The incident sparked widespread protests, prompting the Kerala State Human Rights Commission to register a case and the state government to initially order a Crime Branch probe.

Police sources said Gokul and the girl, who belonged to different tribal communities, had fled their settlement following inter-tribal tensions related to their relationship. Both families had filed missing complaints prior to their detention.