Madras HC directs cops to focus on investigation of suicide of M Lavanya, stop harassing a man who recorded her dying declaration

Chennai, Jan 24: Coming down heavily on the Tamil Nadu Police in the M. Lavanya forced conversion case, the Madras High Court directed cops to stop harassing the man, who had recorded the victim’s dying declaration and focus on the investigation of the 17-year-old suicide case.

 

It should be noted that Lavanya, a student of standard 12th, took her life after the missionary school, harassed her for not converting to Christianity.

 

During the hearing, the girl’s father, S Muruganantham, informed the Bench of Justice GR Swaminathan that the cops were trying to implicate the man, who had recorded the dying declaration of the class 12 student, for revealing the identity of the minor girl. He also demanded a CB-CID investigation into the death of his daughter.

 

He also alleged that the Thanjavur police were trying to protect the perpetrators who had tortured his daughter to convert to Christianity. Taking note of that, Justice GR Swaminathan passed an interim order restraining the police from harassing the man.

 

The judge also directed Tamil Nadu police to ‘conduct themselves appropriately’ after the girl’s father approached had submitted before it. The court had also asked the Thanjavur principal district judge to record the statements of the girl’s father and mother on Sunday under Section 164 of the CRPC. It directed the judge to submit a sealed copy of their statement to the High Court in a sealed cover.

 

Earlier on January 21, the court had directed medical officials to conduct a post-mortem and videotape the medical procedure. The Bench of Justice GR Swaminathan noted that the autopsy was performed by 2 doctors at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital. Given that there was no indication of ‘foul play, the Madras High Court directed that the victim’s body be handed over to the family for performing the last rights.

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