The Kerala High Court on Monday strongly criticized the state police for their delayed response in tracing a 15-year-old girl, who was found dead a month after her mother had lodged an abduction complaint.
The Division Bench stated that it could not close the habeas corpus petition without fully understanding the circumstances surrounding the case.
“Our hearts go out to the parents of the alleged detenue (kidnapped girl), and we are obligated to verify what really happened before taking a final decision,” the court noted.
Directing the Investigating Officer to present all case-related documents, the court ordered his physical presence on Tuesday.
“We direct the Investigating Officer of Crime.No.126/2025—registered under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act—to appear before the court with the Case Diary. The Case Diary for Crime.No.207/2025 should also be in his possession,” the order stated.
According to the victim’s mother, her daughter was abducted on February 11 at 4:45 am by a neighbor with a criminal record. Despite filing a complaint on the same day, the police registered an FIR only on February 12 and failed to take immediate action.
On March 9, the girl and the alleged abductor were found hanging from a tree in Kasargod, just 500 meters from her residence.
The High Court, keeping the habeas corpus petition open, has demanded an explanation from the police regarding their handling of the case.
