ALUVA: A controversy erupted yesterday as no one representing the government attended the funeral ceremony or the public viewing of the five-year-old who was brutally murdered in Aluva.

Following this, Health Minister Veena George and District Collector NSK Umesh arrived at the girl's house and consoled the parents. Neither the District Collector, SP, Tehsildar, Ministers nor Left MLAs were in Aluva to pay their last rites at the public darshan or at the crematorium. CPM district secretary CN Mohanan came to the child's house in the evening after the controversy broke out. Minister P Rajeeve will also come to the child's home this evening.

Minister Veena George told the media that the late arrival of ministers and government representatives need not be made controversial.

"Actions to be taken at the government level and police investigation have been carried out properly. Strong action will be taken. The family will be given the benefits of POCSO case victims immediately. The matter of providing other assistance will be decided at the government level," the minister said.

CPM district committee member KS Arunkumar and area secretary AP Udayakumar are CPM leaders who paid their last respects yesterday morning. Congress' Jebi Mather MP, MLAs Anwar Sadat, Roji M John, Uma Thomas, DCC President Mohammed Shiyas, BJP State President K Surendran, Vice Presidents Shobha Surendran, A.N. Radhakrishnan, District President KS Shaiju, BDJS District President Adv Sreekumar Thattarath, Muslim League State General Secretary PMA Salam, District General Secretary Hamza Parakkat and others had arrived yesterday morning.