No bid to save boy's killer: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition LDF alleged in the assembly on Tuesday that the UDF government, as part of it unholy nexus with the BJP, was trying to save the RSS activist accused of murdering an eight-year-old boy in Kasargod.

“Attempts were being made to frame the accused as mentally ill so that he could be saved in the case. This is being done as part of the unholy nexus between the UDF and BJP. Withdrawing the case against VHP leader Praveen Togadia and giving the Vizhinjam project to the Adani group are also instances of the UDF government’s pro-BJP/RSS gestures”,  Opposition leader V. S. Achuthanandan alleged in the House.

He was speaking after the speaker denied permission for an adjournment motion on the alleged attempt to save the accused in the murder of third-standard student Mohammed Fahad.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told the House that so far, there had been no confirmation that the accused, Vijayakumar, was having any mental illness.

There was no such mention in the FIR also. "Even if he has any history of mental illness, we would try to get him the maximum punishment by invoking section 84 of IPC which deals with offences committed by persons of unsound mind,” said Mr Chennithala. Mr. Chennithala also said that a police team was deployed in the area to avert any repercussions of the incident, especially since it was a sensitive area.

Financial assistance would be provided to the family from the chief minister’s distress relief fund. He also said that stern steps would be initiated against criminal activities being carried out under the cover of religious places.