Horrific night of September 2001; Retired Navy officer's relentless pursuit of justice

KANNUR: It has turned into a ritual-like practice for retired Navy officer Ramakrishnan to reach Taliparamba police station on every year September 2nd. He has been doing this for the past 21 years. However this year, he broke the routine to visit the police station on November 20.

Police asked Ramakrishnan to report to the station based on a complaint he filed at the Nava Kerala Sadas. He submitted the complaint at the complaint counter in the Taliparamba constituency. The last time he was called into the station was on December 17, 2013, when he submitted a complaint directly to the then chief minister Oommen Chandy.

On the night of September 1, 2002, a thief broke into Ramakrishnan’s house and took away 45 sovereigns of gold. Since then, September evoked horror into his mind and he never got peace until the month was over.

His case number was 592/2002, but the police dropped it with some vague reasons stating not getting any shreds of evidence. Even now, police are not enthusiastic about proceeding with the case.

The robbery happened while his wife was away in Bengaluru to attend a wedding. Most of the gold robbed was purchased with his earnings from the Navy. It also had prized ornaments which his father gifted him on the occasion of Ramakrishnan’s elder son’s birthday. The robber even took away the receipt of the gold he purchased from Gulf countries.

Ramakrishnan after retiring from the Navy was working as a gas turbine operator, when the shocking news reached him. He returned to Kerala hearing the shattering news. As per the FIR filed in September 2001, the total loss due to the robbery was written as Rs 2.5 lakh which is estimated to be Rs 21 lakh at present times.