Media frenzy prevailed here Monday morning when Deepa, the sister of murdered Dalit law student Jisha, was asked to accompany a police team for questioning before being let off.
Scotching rumours that police were looking for her friend, a migrant labourer, Deepa, who has been attending on her ailing mother in hospital, later said: "They (police) took me because I wanted to take a few clothes and my bank pass book. It was safe to go with the women police officers. I don't know why the media is speculating."
The development came 12 days after Jisha's mutilated body was found by her mother Rajeshwari. The murder of the 27-year-old law student led to widespread public outrage, with claims that she was sexually assaulted.
Police have been looking into Deepa's phone call list. There have been reports that she had made several phone calls, as was confirmed by her uncle who was also questioned by the police.
Over two dozen people have been questioned by the police till date. While the police have been claiming that they are all set to crack the murder mystery, so far no one has been arrested.
The police are now looking for a migrant labourer known as 'Bhaya'.
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According to police, Jisha was murdered around 5.45 p.m. on April 28 after she was sexually assaulted. Her mutilated body was later found by her mother.
The incident has been compared with the 2012 brutal rape and murder of a paramedical student in Delhi.
Amid massive media outcry, top political leaders have been making a beeline to visit Jisha's traumatised mother Rajeshwari who has been admitted in a hospital.
In poll-bound Kerala, Jisha's murder has become a major issue, with the opposition parties accusing the government and the police of inaction. The ruling Congress-led government has announced compensation for Jisha's family. But that has so far failed to address public outrage.
It now remains to be seen whether the issue is taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well who will be in Kerala on Wednesday. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too will be in the state in a few days and he too may wade in, say political observers.
--IANS
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