Mishel Shaji and Shaji VarghesePiravom: Mishel Shaji’s father said the Kochi police had treated the young woman’s death with laxity even as her hometown planned a shutdown to protest the negligence from the part of the police.
Shaji Varghese urged the government to bring to justice those responsible for the death of his daughter, an 18-year-old girl who was training in Kochi in preparation for the chartered accountant test.
Read also: Mishel Shaji Varghese's death: cries for justice get louder
Mishel left her hostel room on March 5 and was never seen again. Her body was recovered from the Kochi Lake the next day. The local police said the girl had committed suicide, but her family refused to buy the claim.
Political parties across the spectrum joined hands in Piravom to protest the callous treatment of the case. Leaders of all political parties will accompany Shaji Varghese and family as they seek an appointment with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Merchants in the town have agreed to down shutters on Tuesday as a mark of protest.
The chief minister told the Assembly that the case has been handed over to the Crime Branch, in response to a notice served by Piravom MLA Anoop Jacob.
He also promised strict action against the policemen found to have erred in the investigation. He said a scientific investigation was in progress in the case, collecting evidence including phone call details.
He said no one will be spared no matter how influential they are.
