In a development in the ongoing investigation in the Vismaya dowry death case that jolted Kerala, police say her husband Kiran Kumar has confessed that he used to assault her in the past. Speaking to TNM, Rajkumar P, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Sasthamkotta said, “Kiran has confessed that he used to beat her. As of now there is no new information. Today’s evidence collection was done based on the information we have got so far.”
The Kollam rural police on Tuesday, June 29, conducted an evidence collection in the case, and took Kiran to various places including his house at Poruvazhy near Kollam’s Sooranad, where Vismaya V Nair, was found dead on June 22.
Vismaya, a final year student of Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, was found dead at her in-law's house in the wee hours of June 22. Following her death, it was revealted that she had told a family member about the assault and torture she was facing at the hands of her husband. She had sent several images showing her bruises to a cousin. Following this, Vismaya's family spoke about how they had paid dowry but Kiran was still unhappy.
The evidence collection in Kiran’s house was held in the presence of Dr Sasikala, forensic expert of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, who conducted Vismaya's post-mortem. Talking to the media, the investigating officer in the case said that the forensic expert was shown the place where Vismaya was found hanging. “Doctor has taken measurements from the spot. After studying in detail, she will give an opinion on it,” the investigation officer said when asked if the death was a suicide or murder.
Watch visuals from Kiran's house:
Kiran was also taken to the house of a Kerala Police Home Guard in Kollam district. A few days after their wedding, Kiran had assaulted Vismaya while they were travelling from her house to his. During this time, Vismaya ran to this home guard's house and took refuge there. The family gave a statement to the investigation officers about the incident which reportedly happened days after their marriage in May 2020. Talking to the media, the woman said that Vismaya came running to their house crying. “She said he was fighting with her while coming from Kollam, that the car or its seat was not good,” the woman said. Meanwhile, she also added that later Kiran came back and Vismaya went with him. The car that Vismaya mentioned was the one that was given as dowry, but Kiran was unhappy with it.
The police on Tuesday also recovered Vismaya’s gold which was kept in the bank’s locker. The police will question Kiran's family and friends too soon. Notably, following her death, Kiran’s father and mother in their interviews to different media have given differing versions on the events leading to Vismaya's death. While in one interview they had admitted that Kiran and Vismaya were fighting on June 21 night, in other interviews they blamed her parents for creating discord, leading to her death.
In an interview to Manorama News, the family had stated that on the wee hours of June 22, they heard Kiran’s cries from upstairs saying Vismaya was found lying in the bathroom. But in an interview to Kerala Kaumudy, the parents stated that when they rushed after hearing the cries, they found Vismaya hanging and Kiran trying to save her by giving first aid.
Watch home guard's family's reaction:
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