Honour killing: 2 cops arrested on bribery charge

A day after being taken into custody, two police personnel were today arrested and suspended on the charge of taking bribe from some of the accused in the alleged honour killing of a 23-year old man while they were on their way to abduct him, police said.

ASI Biju and police driver Ajaya Kumar of Gandhinagar police station near here were arrested after being questioned by the investigation team, its head and Ernakulam Range IG Vijay Sakhare said.

Kevin P Joseph, a Dalit Christian, was abducted on May 27 in Kottayam by a gang allegedly engaged by his fiancee's family, opposed to their marriage move. His body was found in a river in Kollam district a day later.

Police said the ASI and the driver, on a night patrol on May 26, had intercepted a car used by the gang after noticing that its number plate was hidden.

However, the two had allowed the vehicle to proceed after taking a bribe of Rs 2,000, they said.

The two personnel, detained yesterday for suspected links with the accused, were suspended following their arrest, police added.

The killing of Joseph has rocked the state with opposition Congress and BJP attacking the LDF government over it.

State Governor P Sathasivam has asked people to be on guard against intolerance raising its 'ugly head' in the form of honour killing.

With the incident triggering an outrage, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had yesterday said stern action would be taken against erring police officials.

Joseph's relatives have alleged that he was tortured and killed two days after he and his fiancee filed a joint application for marriage registration at a sub-registrar office near here.

In all, 14 persons have been named as accused in the case related to the killing and nine of them arrested so far, police said.

A magistrate court in Ettumanoor near here granted police custody of three key accused, including father of Joseph's fiancee Chacko John and brother Syanu Chacko, they said.

Two other personnel of Gandhinagar police station, where Joseph's fiancee has lodged a missing complaint earlier, had been suspended for 'laxity' in dealing with the matter.

Kottayam District Superintendent of Police V M Mohammed Rafique has been transferred following the incident.