Kochi: After the mother of the Walayar sisters tonsured her head on February 27 to protest the alleged government inaction against the police personnel who committed lapses in the probe, over 100 people on Thursday shaved their heads in solidarity here.
Two minor Dalit sisters were killed after alleged sexual assault in Walayar four years ago.
The mass tonsure protest in front of the District Collectorate was held under the aegis of Barathiya Pattika Jana Samajam (BPJS).
After the Kerala High Court recently ordered a re-trial in the case observing that there were serious lapses in the investigation and there has been miscarriage of justice, the state government last month handed over it to CBI.
BPJS Ernakulam district secretary Rajitha Animon was the first one to tonsure her head, following which over 100 people including several other women and children got their heads shaved demanding justice for the girls.
The outfit later announced it would continue with similar agitations until the police personnel were removed from service and authorities took necessary action against them.
A Division Bench of Justices A Hariprasad and M R Anitha of the high court had set aside a October 2019 order of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Court acquitting the five accused in the case for want of evidence.
The oldest of the siblings, aged 13, was found hanging in their hut in Walayar in Palakkad district on January 13, 2017, and the younger one (9) on March 4 the same year.
Both were allegedly sexually assaulted.
The mother of the girls had earlier sought a CBI probe.
Public outcry and protests had erupted in the state after the acquittal of the accused, seeking justice for the family of the girls.
The state government had, on November 18, 2019, removed the Public Prosecutor who handled the case and later filed the appeal in the high court.
(With Inputs from PTI)
