Justice for Jisha: Ameerul Islam convicted

Justice for Jisha: Ameerul Islam convicted

  • 12 Dec 2017
  • FWD Admin
  • Features

The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court found Ameerul Islam guilty of Jisha’s rape and murder

Text: Nimisha S

More than a year and a half after the people of Kerala were left in a state of shock and horror following the brutal rape and murder of Jisha, a law student, in her own home in Perumbavoor, the court has delivered its verdict. Justice delayed is justice denied and the news of the verdict comes as a breath of fresh air to the family of the victim and to women all over Kerala. The Ernakulam’s principal session court delivered its verdict on the rape and murder of Jisha today.  The court found accused Ameerul Islam, a migrant worker from Assam, guilty in the case. Judge N Anil Kumar is likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment tomorrow.

Source

The chargesheet stated that Ameerul was found guilty under various sections of the IPC including 302 (murder), 376 (Rape) 376 (A) (causing death or causing the woman to be in a persistent vegetative state while committing rape).

Ahead of the verdict being delivered, Rajeshwari, Jisha’s mother had told media persons that she wants Ameerul to be given the death sentence. "Give him maximum punishment. All evidence is against him. My daughter should get justice," Rajeshwari had said. 

What happened?

In April 2016, Dalit woman Jisha was found raped and murdered in her home at Vattolipadi, Iringolkkara, in Perumbavoor. The body was discovered by her mother in horrific condition with many defense wounds caused by sharp objects and a great deal of mutilation to her private parts.

Although the time of the incident was recorded at around midday, the neighbours claimed to have any clue about the murder or even to have heard her screaming.

According to the police, on April 28, 2016, an intoxicated Ameerul is said to have barged into Jisha's house when she was alone, and murdered her when she resisted his sexual assault. She had sustained at least 30 stab wounds behind her head, on her chest, chin and neck, and is believed to have died of a head trauma.

The accused was arrested after an investigation that took 50 days and hundreds of police officials to solve.

Source

How the case was investigated?

As many as 100 witnesses were examined during the trial which commenced in April last. More than 100 police personnel had questioned over 1,500 people.

Fingerprints of over 5,000 people were also examined by the SIT personnel who went through over 20 lakh telephonic conversations before reaching Islam.

Soon after the LDF government assumed office on 25 May, 2016, it changed the entire team probing the case with ADGP B Sandhya as its chief.

Doubt Still Looms

All through the case there was a great deal of speculation regarding the identity of the accused and the whispers in the background of politically motivated rape and murder of the dalit victim, the Kerala Police had no second guesses about Ameerul. Meanwhile, the two prime witnesses of the case were found dead over the past year. The first, a crutial ‘mahasar witness’ in the case, Sabu Mathai, was found hanging at his residence four months ago. Sabu was a neighbour of Jisha and had allegedly seen the assailant leaving the house. The second witness, Jisha's father Pappu passed away in November this year under unnatural circumstances. Both incidents merely months before the culmination of the sensational case. Were these mere coincidences or something more insidious? We might never know.

 



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