UDF again tries to raise Walayar case in Assembly; Speaker

Stepping up pressure on the LDF government, opposition UDF on Tuesday again raised the issue of the sexual assault and killing of two minor sisters in 2017 in the assembly and staged a walkout after the Speaker rejected their notice for an adjournment motion on the matter.

This is the second time the Congress-led UDF is raising the incident at Palakkad and recent acquittal of the accused, allegedly members of the ruling CPI(M), on the floor of the House after the 16th session of the assembly began last week.

V T Balram (Congress) gave notice for the motion,seeking a discussion on the circumstances under which former Child Welfare Committee chairman and lawyer N Rajesh had appeared on behalf of one of the accused in the sensational case.

The Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, however, said the notice could not be allowed as the House had already discussed the issue and there was no new development in the case.

Though the opposition argued that there were fresh revelations in the case and the adjournment motion was their 'right', the Speaker stuck to his stand.

The infuriated opposition members then trooped to the well of the House with placards and a banner, raised slogans before the Speaker's dais and later staged a walkout.

The case relates to the sexual assault and killing of two minor girls, aged 13 and nine, at their home at Walayar in Palakkad district in 2017.

The accused in the case were acquitted by a POCSO court in Palakkad last month.

The girls were found hanging at their home in January and March 2017 respectively.

The post-mortem report said they were sexually assaulted.

The case ignited mass protests by opposition parties and NGOs across Kerala.

Four accused in the case have been arrested and charged with rape and abetment of suicide.

While one of the accused was acquitted in September this year, the other three walked free on October 25.

The court, while acquitting the accused, had pulled up the investigating team, saying it did not present enough scientific evidence in the case.

Meanwhile, tThe UDF is observing a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Palakkad district on Tuesday in protest against the acquittal of the accused and demanding CBI probe into the case.

KPCC President Mullapaly Ramachandran had observed a day long fast on the matter here on Monday.

Congress is also organising "Peoples collective" in front of the state secretariat at the state capital and in district headquarters on the issue.

BJP would be organising a "Neethi Raksha March" from Walayar to the Palakkad collectorate tomorrow, demanding justice to the sisters.

Local people are also organising an indefinite fast demanding justice for the two sisters.

Meanwhile, the mother of the two girls said they would move the Kerala High Court, seeking a CBI probe and quashing the Pocso court's order acquitting the accused.

"We want a CBI probe and re-investigation into the case", she said.