17-year-old tribal girl raped, killed and dumped in river; Crime Branch arrests motivator after 15 years after bones is washed ashore beach

KASARAGOD: The accused in the case of raping and killing a minor tribal girl and throwing her into a river has been arrested after 15 years. Biju Paulose (52), a motivator who had been under suspicion since the day the girl went missing, has been arrested by the Crime Branch. The case falls under the jurisdiction of the Ambalathara police station.

The arrest was made after it was found that the bone fragment and anklet found by the Kasaragod police on the beach belonged to the missing girl. Biju Poulose had confessed to the crime during the interrogation conducted in custody. POCSO sections, which includes charges for repeatedly molesting a minor girl, have also been charged. The girl, who had come to Kanhangad city for a teacher training course, went missing on June 6, 2010. The girl was going for a teacher training course while staying at the Caritas Hostel near Kanhangad railway station.

The girl's father had filed a complaint with the Ambalathara police on January 19, 2011, alleging that Biju Paulose had abducted and harmed the girl. The police conducted an investigation but could not find any evidence. The family filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court in 2021, stating that the investigation was unsatisfactory. Subsequently, a special investigation team was appointed under the supervision of the court. Bekal DySP CK Sunilkumar was in charge.

The only evidence the police had was the statement given by the accused Biju Paulose that he had killed the girl and thrown her into the river. There was no evidence or witnesses to support this. Therefore, the investigation team had initially informed the court that it was not possible to arrest the accused.

Biju, father of two children

The family filed a petition in the court again in December 2024, demanding that the investigation be unsatisfactory and a CBI investigation be conducted. The investigation was then handed over to the Crime Branch.

Biju Paulose raped the girl, making her stay at the home hostel of Govindan in Madiyan, Kanhangad. He introduced himself as the girl's brother. The accused's mother also stayed with him. The accused, who is married and has two children, kept it a secret while having a physical relationship with the girl. When the girl came to know about this, it became a problem. This is indicated to have led to the murder.

Body washed ashore

The accused has stated that the girl's body was trampled in Panathur Pavitharam Kayam, a part of Chandragiripuzha. It is believed that the body was washed away from here and washed up on the Kasaragod beach, more than 40 km away, in skeletal form. It has been sent for detailed examination.