Kerala High Court questions police inaction after missing girl found dead with abductor

The Kerala High Court on Monday came down heavily on the police for the delay in tracing a 15-year-old girl who was found dead a month after her mother had first approached the police to find her..A Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice MB Snehalatha was considering a habeas corpus petition filed by the mother when it was informed that the girl had been found dead. The visibly shocked bench said that it cannot close the habeas corpus petition without looking into what had happened. "Our hearts certainly go out to the parents of the alleged detenue and are certain that merely because the above has happened, it would not be justified for us to close this Writ Petition. We are obligated to verify what really happened, before we take a final decision," the Court stated in it's order..It, therefore, directed the investigating officer to be present in Court with the relevant documents relating to the missing girl's case tomorrow."We, therefore, direct, the Investigating Officer of the Original Crime, namely Crime.No.126/2025 - which is stated to have been registered under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act - be present before this Court tomorrow, along with the Case Diary. The Case Diary opened with respect to Crime.No.207/2025 shall also be in his possession, when he appears before us.", the Court added..According to the girl's mother, her daughter was abducted at 4:45 am on February 11 by a neighbor who allegedly has a criminal record.The mother and her family attempted to reach the girl on her mobile phone, but it remained switched off.She had approached the police and lodged a complaint the very same day. However, the police registered a first information report (FIR) only on February 12 and failed to take prompt action to recover the minor.Growing increasingly anxious, she submitted another complaint on February 22 requesting the urgent intervention of the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Faced with continued inaction from the police despite multiple complaints, the the girl's mother approached the High Court with a habeas corpus petition, seeking the Court's intervention to locate her missing daughter..In a shocking turn of events, when the matter was called for hearing on today, Government Pleader PM Shameer informed the Court that the missing girl and the neighbour who allegedly abducted her, were found hanging from a tree in Kasargod.The counsel for the petitioner, advocate PE Sajal, strongly asserted that had the police acted effectively and swiftly, the minor girl would have been alive..Keeping the habeas corpus petition open, the Court sought an explanation from the police regarding their handling of the case. The investigating officer has to be physically present in Court on March 11 when the case will be taken up next..The petitioner-mother was represented by advocates PE Sajal, Muhammed Hisham T and Ajas KS.Government Pleader PM Shameer appeared for the State..[Read Order]