Synopsis
The Kerala High Court criticized the police for their inaction in a case involving a missing 15-year-old girl. Found dead a month after her mother filed a complaint, the court demanded accountability and called for the Investigating Officer's presence in court.Key Takeaways
- The Kerala High Court highlighted police delays in a missing girl's case.
- The girl was reported missing by her mother on February 11.
- The police filed an FIR only a day later.
- The girl and her suspected abductor were found deceased on March 9.
- The court is keeping the habeas corpus petition open for further investigation.
Kochi, March 10 (NationPress) On Monday, the Kerala High Court criticized the state police for their failure to promptly locate a 15-year-old girl, who was discovered deceased a month after her mother initially reported her missing. The Division Bench remarked that it could not dismiss the habeas corpus petition without investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
"Our hearts certainly go out to the parents of the alleged detenue (kidnapped girl) and we are certain that merely because this tragedy has occurred, it would not be appropriate for us to close this Writ Petition. We are obliged to ascertain the truth of what transpired before reaching a final conclusion," the court stated in its ruling.
Consequently, it instructed the Investigating Officer to appear in court with the pertinent documents related to the case of the missing girl on Tuesday.
"We, therefore, direct the Investigating Officer of the Original Crime, namely Crime.No.126/2025—which is reported to have been registered under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act—to be in attendance before this court tomorrow, along with the Case Diary. The Case Diary associated with Crime.No.207/2025 should also be in his possession when he presents himself before us," the High Court added.
As per the girl's mother, her daughter was kidnapped at 4:45 am on February 11 by a neighbor who allegedly has a criminal history.
The mother and her family tried to contact the girl on her mobile phone, but it remained switched off.
She reported the abduction to the police on the same day.
However, the police only filed a First Information Report (FIR) on February 12 and did not act swiftly.
On March 9, the High Court was informed that the missing girl and the neighbor suspected of abducting her were found hanging from a tree in Kasargod, approximately 500 metres from her residence.
While keeping the habeas corpus petition active, the High Court demanded an explanation from the police regarding their management of the case.
The High Court has mandated that the Investigating Officer be physically present in court on Tuesday.
