Soumya case: Ker CM assures justice to rape victim’s family  

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 20 (PTI) Kerala Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan today assured all support to ensure justiceto the family of Soumya, who was allegedly raped and murderedafter being pushed out from a moving train in Thrissurdistrict in February 2011. Vijayan gave the assurance when Sumathi, mother ofSoumya, met him at his official chamber here to express herconcern over the recent Supreme Court verdict, commuting thedeath sentence awarded to Govindachamy, the lone accused inthe sensational rape and murder case. "I am satisfied with my meeting with the Chief Minister.I am going home content," she told reporters after meeting theChief Minister along with her son Sumesh. In a Facebook post, Vijayan later said the grievingmother’s sorrow and concern is being shared by all and suchincidents should not happen in the future. "In the wake of the recent Supreme Court verdict in theSoumya case, her mother Sumathi today came to my office tomeet me and share things. We will do everything to ensurejustice for Soumya," he said. "Such things should not happen in future. We share thesorrow and concern of that mother", he said. Ministers E Chandrasekharan, A K Balan, KadannappallyRamachandran, Mathew T Thomas, A K Saseendran, J MercykuttyAmma, K T Jaleel and K Raju, MLA P K Sasi and DGP LoknathBehera were also present during the time of meeting. The Chief Minister’s assurance assumed significance withpolitical opponents mounting a scathing attack on theCPI(M)-led LDF government for alleged lapses in dealing withthe case. Sumathi had also described the verdict as ‘heartbreaking’ and alleged that it was due to the ‘failure’ of thestate prosecutor to ‘properly’ represent the case in the ApexCourt. According to the prosecution, Govindachamy had rapedSoumya, a 23-year old sales representative after pushing herout from a running train on February 1, 2011. The Thrissur trial court had sentenced him to death,which was upheld by the Kerala High Court. The Supreme Court, however, commuted his death sentence,while upholding the life imprisonment. The Kerala government has decided to file a reviewpetition against the verdict in the Apex Court. PTI LGK JRKAPRMNG