HC directs Vilathikulam DSP to probe girl murder case

Madurai: Madras high court on Monday directed the Vilathikulam deputy superintendent of police (DSP) to investigate the case pertaining to the murder of a Class XII girl in Tuticorin district.The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by an advocate, K Mareeshwari. The petitioner also sought a direction to the state to pay compensation to the family members of the girl.Pursuant to the order of the court, the Tuticorin district superintendent of police (SP) filed a status report before the court on Monday. The state submitted that the inspector of police attached to Vilathikulam all women police station and a special sub-inspector of police attached to the Kulathur police station were suspended for delay in registration of FIR when a missing complaint was lodged by the parents of the girl. Departmental proceedings would also be initiated against the two police personnel.Postmortem was performed on the body of the deceased girl by three professors, and the same was also videographed. DNA samples from the girl and five suspects were sent for analysis to the regional forensic lab in Madurai district, the state submitted.The state also submitted that cyber crime officials are conducting technical analysis of mobile and digital data relevant to the investigation. Kulathur inspector of police is conducting the investigation, and the same is monitored by the Tuticorin SP. However, the parents of the girl are also not cooperating with the police for recording their statements, the state submitted.Taking into account the submissions, a division bench of justice N Sathish Kumar and justice M Jothiraman directed the Vilathikulam DSP to investigate the case, and to record audio-video statements from the parents of the girl.The judges also asked the parents of the girl to cooperate with the investigation. The judges directed the police to file a further status report on the progress of the investigation and posted the case on April 2.