The Kerala High Court has voiced severe criticism and deep concern over the perceived inaction of the police in locating a Bengaluru native, Suraj Lama, who vanished after being deported from Kuwait to Kochi in early October. The court has now set a firm deadline for the investigating agency to produce crucial evidence.
Court's Stern Observations on Police Investigation
A bench comprising Justices Devan Ramachandran and M B Snehalatha was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Santom Lama, the missing man's son. On Tuesday, the judges pointed out that the investigating agency seemed to have stopped its efforts to trace Suraj Lama based on a mere assumption. The police presumed that an unidentified body discovered in marshy land near the Government Medical College in Ernakulam around the same time could be his.
However, the court highlighted a critical lapse: the forensic laboratory report from Thiruvananthapuram concerning that unidentified body is still awaited. Without this report, there is no certainty about the body's identity, making the police's assumption premature and halting the active search for the missing man.
A Family's Anguish and the Final Deadline
The High Court did not mince words when referring to the distress of Suraj Lama's family. The bench orally remarked that the family must be enduring immense anguish due to the uncertainty, and such a situation cannot be allowed to persist indefinitely.
Granting a final opportunity to the investigating team, the court has adjourned the matter to January 12, 2024. By this date, the police must obtain the pending forensic report and inform the court conclusively about the identity of the body found near the medical college hospital.
Chronology of a Disappearance
Suraj Lama had been working in Kuwait for several years. Reports indicate he suffered from memory loss and disorientation after allegedly consuming toxic liquor. Following his deportation, he arrived at Kochi on October 5.
After his arrival, he was reportedly seen at various locations in and around Kochi city. Records show he was taken into custody by the Thrikkakara police on October 8 and was later admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital. Tragically, his whereabouts have remained unknown since that admission, compelling his son to seek the intervention of the High Court through the legal plea.
The court's intervention underscores the gravity of the case and places the onus squarely on the authorities to resolve the mystery and provide answers to a grieving family.
