2 min readThiruvananthapuramFeb 14, 2026 04:34 PM IST
Police sources said the postmortem report showed that the girl had been sexually abused and that sections of the POCSO Act have now been included. (File Photo)
Nearly a month after a father and his six-year-old daughter were found dead at their house in Kochi, police said Saturday the girl had been subjected to sexual abuse.
The 33-year-old man, a native of Alappuzha, was found hanging in his rented house on January 16, while his daughter was found dead in the same house. His wife was away when the incident occurred.
Police sources said the postmortem report showed that the girl had been sexually abused and that sections of the POCSO Act have now been included.
“The girl was also poisoned, which was revealed in the initial report. Probe is on to ascertain who has sexually abused the girl. The statement of the mother will be recorded again,” said an officer of the Kochi city police.
The father and daughter were found dead on January 16. Police had then registered a case of unnatural death, assuming that the father had ended his life after poisoning the child.
According to police, the man, who had been employed at a private firm, had been jobless for some time, while his wife worked at a shopping mall in Kochi. The couple had discord over financial issues. On the eve of January 15, when the wife was away, the husband messaged her saying: “I am going with my daughter”.
When she returned home after work, she found the house locked and assumed that he had gone out with the child. As her calls went unanswered, she rushed to a relative’s house. Early the next morning, she returned with relatives and broke open the door, finding the man hanging from the ceiling and the daughter lying on the bed. Both were rushed to hospital but were declared dead.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More