THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Doesn’t the court have any heart? They could have killed me too, rather than letting free those who barbarically tortured my son to death” This is the heart-wrenching lament of a poor old woman who fought for thirteen and a half years to ensure punishment for her son's killers.

Prabhavathi was speaking to Kerala Kaumudi from her home in Sreesailam in Karamana after the High Court acquitted the accused in the Udayakumar custody death case.

“My dear son was tortured without even being given water just because he had Rs 4000 in his pocket. It was the money he had saved to buy Onakodi for me. Now I get scared whenever I hear the word Onam.

Anyone would have fainted if they had glimpsed the 24 blue marks from his soles to his thighs. Doesn’t the court have eyes or a heart to see the pain and ordeal of a mother who lost her son? I just have this house left with me. If needed, I will sell it to file the case to ensure justice for my poor son.

I could have died when my husband left me. However, I decided to live for my son, and then they took him away. They even tried to kill me once. How can the court deliver such a verdict? Somebody is behind this. I want justice.” Prabhavathi Amma broke into tears before completing the sentence.

Prabhavathi now lives with her brother Mohanan in a house provided by the government near the Karamana Mannadi temple.

"Will approach the Supreme Court against the verdict. The postmortem report confirmed that it was a case of murder. It was Veliyam Bhargavan, the late CPI secretary, who gave me the charge of the case. I will complete the duty assigned to me," said P.K.Raju, Deputy Mayor, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation