The investigation into the unnatural death of tribesperson Viswanathan has come to a standstill with no major breakthrough even after a month-long probe by a special investigation team (SIT).
Disappointed by the outcome, the family of the tribesperson is planning to seek a high-level inquiry by the Crime Branch. They will soon submit a complaint to the Chief Minister and the State Police Chief to approve the same.
Viswanathan’s family members and a section of activists who support them are of the argument that the SIT is now moving at a slow pace without understanding their concerns. They also accuse the police of adopting an intimidating approach towards Viswanathan’s brother Vinod who is determined to fight the case and always keen to check the status of the probe.
Countering the allegations, some of the police officers claim that the conflicting statements by bystanders who were present at the Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) when Viswanathan went missing from the hospital premises make the investigation challenging. There is no evidence or supportive statement yet to prove the alleged public trial against the man in the name of theft, they said.
The main allegation was that a group of unidentified men humiliated Viswanathan in public alleging that he stole a mobile phone and cash from a bystander near the IMCH on February 9. According to the complainants, the man was fleeing from the spot unable to withstand the harrowing experience. They had also alleged obscurity in the death of the man whose body was found hanging from a tree on February 11.
One of the major criticisms against the SIT was its alleged failure in tracking the person who complained of losing his mobile phone and cash. Even after quizzing about 150 persons in connection with the incident, there was no clue about the man who made the allegation. The security guards who were reportedly present at the spot also could not share anything supportive with the police.
