Soumya murder case: Kerala CM assures justice to rape victim's family

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday assured all support to ensure justice to the family of Soumya, who was allegedly raped and murdered after being pushed out from a moving train in Thrissur district in February 2011.

Vijayan gave the assurance when Sumathi, mother of Soumya, met him at his official chamber in Thiruvananthapuram to express her concern over the recent Supreme Court verdict, commuting the death sentence awarded to Govindachamy, the lone accused in the sensational rape and murder case.

"I am satisfied with my meeting with the Chief Minister.I am going home content," she told reporters after meeting the Chief Minister along with her son Sumesh.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan later said the grieving mother's sorrow and concern is being shared by all and such incidents should not happen in the future.

"In the wake of the recent Supreme Court verdict in the Soumya case, her mother Sumathi on Tuesday came to my office to meet me and share things. We will do everything to ensure justice for Soumya," he said.

"Such things should not happen in future. We share thesorrow and concern of that mother", he said.

Ministers E Chandrasekharan, A K Balan, Kadannappally Ramachandran, Mathew T Thomas, A K Saseendran, J Mercykutty Amma, K T Jaleel and K Raju, MLA P K Sasi and DGP Loknath Behera were also present during the time of meeting.

The Chief Minister's assurance assumed significance with political opponents mounting a scathing attack on the CPI(M)-led LDF government for alleged lapses in dealing with the case.

Sumathi had also described the verdict as 'heart breaking' and alleged that it was due to the 'failure' of the state prosecutor to 'properly' represent the case in the Apex court.

According to the prosecution, Govindachamy had raped Soumya, a 23-year old sales representative after pushing her out from a running train on February 1, 2011.

The Thrissur trial court had sentenced him to death, which was upheld by the Kerala High Court.

The Supreme Court, however, commuted his death sentence, while upholding the life imprisonment. The Kerala government has decided to file a review petition against the verdict in the Apex Court.

Vijayan later told reporters that the Attorney General had accepted the state's request to appear in the case in the Supreme Court.

"I had talked to the Attorney General over phone and requested him to appear for the state in the case and he had agreed", the Chief Minister said during cabinet briefing.

To take further steps on the issue, the AG would convene a meeting, which would be attended by the Investigating Officers and lawyers who conducted the case, Vijayan said.

Asked whether he wanted the death sentence for the accused, Vijayan said, "The session’s court and High Court had found the accused guilty under section 302. The Supreme Court had dropped the murder charge and state government is against this."