Kollam: Soon after the verdict in the sensational Vismaya case was pronounced, awarding her husband Kiran Kumar 10 years in jail, Sajitha's eyes teared up.
Sajitha, Vismaya's mother, was seen patiently waiting for the verdict at home for hours together, while Vismaya's dad was present at the court. For all those who watched the court proceedings on TV, it would have been painful to see the wistful face of the mother, who was waiting for the judgment, since morning.
When the media requested her reaction once the verdict was out, Sajitha said, “We got justice, but had expected life imprisonment.” After thanking the investigators, cops, media, neighbours and more, she also said that the family is grateful for a timely judgment in the case.
As for Kiran's refusal to accept that he was guilty, Sajitha observed, “Obviously, being the accused, that's what he would say. But, it is not something I can agree with.”
There were quite a few heavy pauses, too, in her reactions, and it was quite evident that her daughter's memories plagued her, throughout.
I won't rest till all culprits are booked, says Vismaya's father
Vismaya's dad Trivikraman Nair, who has apparently not shaved ever since the death of his daughter, also waited with bated breath as the court heard the accused, prosecutors and more on Tuesday. When the court awarded Kiran 10 years in jail, he reacted to the media that he is completely satisfied. “My daughter got the justice she deserved. This is also a message for the society.” When quizzed whether there are plans to approach the higher courts, he said, “We have to speak to the public prosecutor about it. I don't know much about judicial proceedings.”
Trivikraman Nair added that though the court has punished Kiran, he has no plans to take off his beard, yet. “I want to go ahead with this case. This is not limited to Kiran alone. There are more culprits in this case and I won't rest till all of them are brought to book. In the voice clips obtained from his phone, we can hear his relatives too.”
He also mentioned that Kiran's parents didn't take the steps required to avoid the untoward incidents. “They could have at least given me a phone call. It's after Vismaya's death that they called me. What should one infer from the same? There are enough reasons and evidences to believe that there were some conspiracies involved. There were more than four lakh voice clips from which the investigators found the evidences and submitted the report in eighty days, which was no easy process.”
The distraught father, who arrived at the court in the car that was gifted to Kiran as dowry, said that he believed his daughter was with him today. “It's been 11 months and three days since Vismaya passed away. It's a period that put me through a lot of trouble. I haven't taken out this vehicle for a long time, though my son used to drive it once in a while. It's just today, to witness the verdict, that I brought it out. My daughter loved this vehicle. It was selected by my son, Vismaya and myself. Her spirit is definitely in this car,” he said.
The case
Vismaya, 24, was found dead in the house of her husband at Sasthamkotta in Kollam district on June 21, 2021. The investigations and autopsy pointed to suicide.
A day before the incident, Vismaya had sent WhatsApp messages to her relatives over the alleged harassment by Kumar over dowry, as well as photos of wounds and marks of beatings on her body.
Her father had said that 100 sovereigns of gold (one sovereign is equal to 8 grams gold) and over one acre land, besides a car worth Rs 10 lakh was given as dowry to Kumar during the wedding in 2020.
But Kumar did not like the car and wanted Rs 10 lakh in cash. As he was told it was not possible, he used to torture her, the father had said.