Devananda died after accidentally falling into river, scientific tests claim

Kottiyam: Scientific tests have ascertained that seven-year-old Devananda had died after she accidentally fell into the river near her home in Kollam district last month.

The test results were handed over to the Kannanalloor police on Friday evening. The forensic experts said that the child had slipped and fell into the river. And that she died after water and slush entered her body.

The water and slush found in her stomach were from the same spot where the body was found. The tests of internal organs and body fluids did not throw up any unusual results either. Nor there were any wounds or injuries on her body.

Devananda's body was found in the Ithikkara river on February 28, a day after she went missing.

Kannanalloor CI U P Vipin Kumar said that though the scientific results were out, the police investigation would continue.

Relatives and neighbours have said that the child would not travel so much a distance on her own and there was no scenario that prompted her to.

As mystery shrouds the incident, the questioning and probe would into her death would continue.

Devananda, the eldest daughter of Kudavattoor natives C Pradeep and Dhanya, went missing from her home in Kottarakkara taluk while her mother was washing clothes around 10:30am on February 27.

A massive search and rescue operation was launched to trace the little girl. The missing child’s photo was widely circulated on social media and film stars, including Mammootty and Mohanlal, urged people to help in the search.

But her body was found, lying face down, in the river the next morning.

It was earlier suspected that the child could have tumbled into the river while trying to cross a makeshift bridge. Or that maybe she was headed to a temple, she frequently visited.

However, her mother had told the police that her daughter would never walk alone to the riverside, which is around 500 metres away from the house.

Preliminary tests and inquest had pointed drowning as the cause of the death though it remained unclear as to why the child went to the riverside alone.

Allegations of foul play were raised. The police then began an extensive probe looking into the multiple aspects about the incident. A special investigation team, led by Chathannoor ACP, is probing the incident.

Devananda, also called as Ponnu, was a class 1 student of the Saraswathi Vidya Nikethan School at Vakkanadu in Kollam.