The family of senior civil police officer Binu Varghese, 43, attached to the Munambam police station, has demanded a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Varghese was found dead on Tuesday at his residence in Kedamangalam, near Kochi.
Family Questions Police Findings
Relatives have questioned the police's preliminary finding that work stress was unlikely to be the cause of death. The police had earlier stated that a suicide note recovered from the body mentioned financial challenges. However, the family disputes this claim.
Varghese's wife, Sini, who works as a nurse at a private hospital, rejected assertions that the family was facing serious financial difficulties. "I have been working for the last 16 years, and our financial challenges can be managed with our income," she said.
Workplace Issues and Land Dispute Incident
Family members alleged that Varghese appeared visibly disturbed after returning from work. "He earlier told us that there were problems at the workplace and that he might lose his job," Sini added.
According to relatives and local councillors, Varghese was recently involved in handling a dispute between two neighbours over a land issue in which a woman was allegedly assaulted. A video clip related to the incident surfaced on social media, showing the victim questioning Varghese over why charges of attempt to murder had not been invoked in the case.
"He was a soft-hearted man, and this incident deeply affected him. He had spoken to his wife about it. We have not seen the letter reportedly recovered by police, and the claims attributed to it do not align with what we know," said C A Rajeev, councillor of Kedamangalam ward in North Paravur municipality.
Mobile Phone in Police Custody
The family and local councillors also alleged that Varghese's mobile phone remains in police custody and has not been handed over to the family. "If the phone records are examined, they could provide more clarity on the factors that led to his death," Rajeev said.
Earlier, North Paravur police stated that when Varghese could not be located at his residence, family members began searching for him and found him hanging from the rafters on the roof of the house. Police said they recovered a suicide note from the body, which said no one was responsible for his death.
Varghese's wife expressed shock at the sudden turn of events. "He went to duty on Monday morning without any issues. I was on night duty and returned home to sleep. I do not know what suddenly prompted him to take such a step," she said.
