Kochi: The investigation into the deaths of a 33-year-old man and his six-year-old daughter in Elamakkara in Kochi on January 16 has taken a disturbing turn, with local police formally registering a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

This significant development, nearly a month after the father and daughter were found dead at their rented house, follows a post-mortem report that confirmed the minor girl had been a victim of sexual abuse prior to her death. Initial inquiry had suggested that the man committed suicide after murdering his daughter.

While Elamakkara police have confirmed the registration of the POCSO case based on medical reports of the girl, officers have declined to divulge further details or identify a specific suspect, citing that the investigation is still in its active stages. 

“A POCSO case was registered based on the medical reports of the girl, which confirmed sexual abuse. Further investigation is underway,” a senior police officer said. 

These findings came to light after the incident when doctors conducting the autopsy discovered various injuries on the child's body, including her private parts. Although the police had acknowledged at that time that “certain injuries were found”, they declined to comment on how they occurred, stating the circumstances remained unclear at that time.

In a parallel investigation earlier, the police had also questioned a couple who were close family friends of the deceased man. This line of inquiry stems from reports of disagreements regarding financial dealings between the deceased and the couple. The police were probing whether these financial pressures contributed to the events leading up to the deaths at the house on St. Xavier’s Road.

The background of the case dates back to the early hours of January 16, when the man’s wife, Snasha, returned from her shift at an Edappally shopping mall to find the house locked and her husband’s phone switched off.

After staying the night with her cousin, Sabareesan VV, in Poothotta, the two returned the following morning intending to file a missing person complaint with the police. However, before going to the station, they decided to check the house one last time.

Upon their arrival, they found the door closed but not locked, with the key left in the keyhole. When they went inside, they were shocked to see their bodies and immediately alerted the police. The 33-year-old, who had been unemployed for some time, was found hanging from the ceiling, while his daughter was found motionless on the bed.

The Elamakkara police had registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).