Kevin was forcibly drowned, say police surgeons

_{Kottayam: Police surgeons stated that Kottayam youth Kevin P Joseph did not drown accidentally but was forcibly drowned. This observation was made by them during the trial into the alleged case of honour killing at a local court here on Monday.}

_{"Kevin who knew swimming would not drown in waist-deep water. He was drowned," the surgeons confirmed. They also ruled out suicide.}

_{The police surgeons said that they gave statement after closely checking the findings in the autopsy report, circumstantial evidence, and reports on scientific tests. They also checked the spot from where his body was recovered in Kollam.}

_{Kevin was abducted from his home in Kottayam by a gang allegedly on the instructions of his fiancée Neenu’s family on May 27, 2018. Kevin was found dead in Chaliyakkara River in Kollam district the next day.}

_{“The water in this part of the river is only waist-deep. Therefore, it cannot be an accident or suicide. About 170 millilitres and 150 ml of water had entered both his chest cavities,” the doctors said. They also pointed out that this much amount of water would only enter the chest cavities during an attempt to drown or during a struggle to escape drowning.}

_{The prosecution has termed the murder as a case of honour killing. Their contention is that Kevin was murdered at the behest of this fiancee’s family who objected to his relationship with Neenu. Her father and brother are accused in the case.}

_{The prosecution believe that these statements would help prove the murder charges against the accused.}

_{The key statements in the case were given by Kottayam medical college doctors who conducted the autopsy - forensic department professor Dr MS Rajeevan, and associate professor Dr Santhosh Joy - and Thiruvananthapuram medical college forensic department chief Dr K Sasikala, who prepared the final report.}

_{Findings in the post-mortem report by Dr M S Rajeevan}

_{• No grievous injuries on Kevin}

_{• Even though he was abducted by the accused, he had not suffered serious assault injuries}

_{• The minor injuries were sustained while falling, there were no head injuries}

_{• Kevin did not have illnesses such as epilepsy}

_{These points quell the possibility that Kevin could have accidentally fallen into the river while trying to escape his assaulters and collapsed due to fatigue.}

_{The doctor also gave statement that if the victim was submerged in water for two to four minutes, he would lose consciousness.}

_{When the defendant questioned the doctors on why homicidal drowning was not mentioned in the first report, they said the preliminary report was submitted before checking the crime spot.}