Kerala's Nirbhaya: Police officer removed on grounds of 'procedural lapses', no arrests yet

In the aftermath of the brutal rape and murder of a Dalit law student from Kerala's Ernakulam district, which sent the nation into a tizzy, Perumbavoor Deputy SP Anil Kumar has been removed from the investigation team.

Jisha, the 30-year-old student was found raped and horribly mutilated, with 30 stab wounds and her entrails hanging out of her body, on 28 April. However, it was only after five days since the tragic event that the police was able to apprehend the suspects.

After that, it was only on 3 May, Tuesday, that the police managed to cordon off the scene of the crime, five days after the gruesome rape and murder.

Anil Kumar, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Perambavoor has been removed from the investigation team on grounds of "procedural lapses" and incompetence. The victim's family members have on several occasions also complained of the lackadaisical attitude of the police in handling the case.

As news of the tragic incident spread like wildfire across the nation, with parallels being drawn with the gang-rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in Delhi in 2012, the authorities have now sprung into action. The investigation team has now been expanded to 24.

On 5 May, the police released the sketch of a suspect. But eight days since the crime, no arrests have been made yet. After confirmation from lab reports, a case of rape was filed along with the initial murder FIR.

According to reports, friends of the victim claim that the police tried to "cover up" the crime to protect the government's image, ahead of the Assembly polls on 16 May. The victim's mother has also alleged that the police have not paid heed to her complaints of harassment in the past year.