Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, May 14: A police official, who was found by the investigators to have been helping the accused in Safiya murder case, which had given rise to a furor in the state, has resumed his duties. His suspension has been revoked, and the progress of investigation in this murder case appears to have become sluggish.

It may be recalled, that Safiya (14), a resident Ayyangeri near Madikeri, who had gone to Goa to work as housemaid in the house of Hamza, a contractor from Muliyar Mastikundu, had disappeared mysteriously. Hamza had filed a complaint with the district police initially, saying that Safiya had gone missing. The Adoor policemen, who took up the case, failed to make any headway. It was alleged that Hamza, who had murdered Safiya and buried her mortal remains, had bribed the policemen to hush up the case.

After Safiya’s parents, with the support of several organizations, organized protests, hunger strike etc., and approached the state High Court, the investigation was handed over to the crime branch. A team formed under the leadership of crime branch superintendent of police, K P Philip, found out that Safiya, who had suffered burns while working in Hamza’s home, had been buried by Hamza in Goa with the help of a friend. As the crime branch collected evidence that Gopalakrishna, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Adoor police station, had been bribed to derail the investigation, he was suspended.

After Gopalakrishna approached a court seeking revocation of his suspension, the court ordered for departmental inquiry. During the departmental inquiry, the charge against the ASI could not be substantiated. As such, Gopalakrishna’s suspension has been revoked, and he has been reappointed in Manjeshwar police station.