Mother of Walayar girls to contest against Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram The mother of the two minor girls, who were found dead in Walayar in Kerala’s Palakkad district in 2017, on Tuesday announced her candidature for the upcoming assembly polls from Dharmadom constituency

Thiruvananthapuram

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The mother of the two minor girls, who were found dead in Walayar in Kerala’s Palakkad district in 2017, on Tuesday announced her candidature for the upcoming assembly polls from Dharmadom constituency. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is seeking reelection from the north Kerala constituency.

Accusing the CM of not keeping his word, the woman said, “Four years [have] passed since my daughters were killed. I am yet to get justice. The CM never kept his words. I am out for all mothers.”

The eldest of the siblings, aged 13, was found hanging inside their hut in Walayar in Palakkad district on January 13, 2017 and her nine-year-old sister died on March 4 in the same manner. The parents alleged that the girls were murdered.

Post-mortem examinations of the two girls revealed that they were subjected to sexual assault before their deaths. Following protests, five people were arrested by the police. One of the accused died by suicide last year.

“Some of the police officers who weakened the case were later promoted. Let people know what he [chief minister] did to the mother who lost two children. I am firm on contesting against him,” she said in Thrissur, adding she was not prompted by political parties.

Last month, the woman tonsured her head to protest the “failure of the government” to act against police officials who allegedly compromised the probe. Rights activists have said that the government was forced to slow the progress in the case as some of the accused were connected with the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The CPI(M) on Tuesday alleged that the woman has been made a political pawn. “We are with the suffering mother. We did whatever is possible in the case. Now the CBI is investigating it. It seems she was misled by some forces,” said the CM. State law minister A K Balan also said she was turned a pawn in hands of some vested interests.

Chief minister Vijayan was not available for comment.

The opposition Congress, meanwhile, welcomed the woman’s candidature. “We welcome her bold decision,” said party state president Mullapally Ramachandran. He said the Congress will talk to UDF allies and will take a decision on supporting her.

While Dharmadom is a Left stronghold, the woman’s entry into the fray will embarrass the CM, political observers said.

“It will invite enough embarrassment to the party and government. She can pose a stiff challenge to the CM and attract sympathy of women voters,” said political observer Sunnykutty Abraham.

A division bench of the Kerala high court, in January this year, set aside the verdict of a Pocso court acquitting all the accused and ordered a re-trial in the case. The court also handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

In an October 2019 order, a Pocso court acquitted the five accused due to lack of evidence after several witnesses turned hostile.

The police officer, who headed the investigating team, was promoted by the state government in March last year.

Lawyer N Rajesh, who represented one of the accused in the case, was also appointed the president of the district’s child welfare committee.