The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on May 4, 2016

THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemns the brutal rape and murder of a young dalit woman in Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, Kerala a few days back.

Instead of acting firmly while dealing with such cases, it is shameful that the state police and the Congress-led UDF government initially tried to cover up this heinous crime. Such behaviour on the part of the police and the administration is reprehensible and cannot be tolerated by any civilized society. It was thanks to a vigilant media and the massive public outcry that followed that forced the police to finally act.

The Polit Bureau demands that the investigation into the brutal rape and appalling violence inflicted on the woman should be entrusted to an enquiry committee headed by a high ranking woman police official. Immediate steps should be taken to apprehend the culprits and bring them to book through fast track courts in lines with the amendments brought into criminal laws after the Nirbhaya incident. Proceedings should also be launched against those who attempted to cover up the case.

The Polit Bureau conveys its heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the aggrieved mother.