"Cruel, embarrassing incident": Kerala governor seeks report on domestic violence case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan has sought a report from the government regarding the brutal beating a newlywed bride had to suffer at her marital house in Pantheerankavu. He said further action would be taken after receiving the report.

Raj Bhavan's intervention came immediately after the lapse on the part of the inspector who first investigated the case.

"I came to know about the incident yesterday and immediately sought a report from the police. It was an unfortunate and embarrassing incident. I don't feel like speaking about it. I don't understand how people can be so inhumane. It was a very cruel incident," Arif Mohammad Khan said.

Meanwhile, the accused Rahul P Gopal in a live session on social media defended his side.

'I don't know what my future holds. Now I am wandering around at some place without even eating. There are two reasons for not staying in my country. My mother can't bear to see me arrested. I was afraid my mother would die on seeing that. And there were threats against me. Her(wife) brother threatened that he has people in Kondotty and will make me suffer. I was not willing to take risks against such things," Rahul said.

"It's my life that you all are enjoying now. This is a life which I have built in about thirty years. I had committed the mistake of hitting her and was ready to accept any punishment for that. But it was never for dowry or for a car. Why do I need a car in my native place when I am working in Germany? I came back here after selling my bike," he said.

"No one in my family knows how to drive. And what is the point of having a car there? A lot of accusations without any sense are being made against me. I have indeed hit your daughter, and I can admit it anywhere, but why are you making dowry accusations," Rahul said in the video.

The last known location of Rahul's mobile phone was in Karnataka. It is suspected that he reached Bengaluru by road from Kozhikode and went to Singapore from there. However, the police have not officially confirmed this.