A 21-year-old medical student from Kerala was allegedly murdered in Uzbekistan by a fellow student from the same state, prompting her family to seek a fresh investigation in India. The family has also alleged that the victim had been subjected to repeated pressure to convert her religion before her death. The victim, Sawariya Basanth, was a first-year student at Bukhara State Medical Institute in Uzbekistan and hailed from Harippad in Kerala's Alappuzha district. The accused, 22-year-old Sadarul Anam from Pulamanthol in Malappuram district, has been taken into custody by authorities in Uzbekistan following the incident.
Kerala Police Register Murder Case
Sawariya's mortal remains were brought back to Kerala, where a second post-mortem examination was conducted at Alappuzha Medical College on Thursday at the request of her family. She was later cremated, as per reports.
Meanwhile, Harippad Police registered a murder case based on a complaint filed by her father, Basanth, who is employed in Kuwait.
Harippad Station House Officer V Vishnu confirmed that a case had been registered under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He said Kerala Police were still awaiting official documentation from law enforcement authorities in Uzbekistan before deciding the legal course of action.
According to the officer, the second post-mortem carried out in Kerala indicated preliminary signs of physical assault. Investigators will now examine how the case registered in Kerala can proceed alongside the investigation already underway in Uzbekistan.
Family Alleges Conversion Pressure
The victim's family has alleged that Sawariya had been facing pressure from the accused to convert her religion.
Janeesh, a relative of the family, claimed that classmates informed them Sadarul had allegedly assaulted Sawariya on multiple occasions and repeatedly pressured her to convert. According to him, she consistently resisted these attempts, and several fellow students were aware of the alleged incidents.
The family member also described the hostel arrangement at the medical institute, stating that male and female students stayed in the same building but on separate floors.
Janeesh said the family was still uncertain about the motive behind the alleged murder but described the attack as extremely brutal, claiming there was scarcely any part of Sawariya's body that did not bear injuries.
Family Seeks Investigation In India
Following the return of Sawariya's body, her family approached the Alappuzha police seeking a fresh investigation into the case and demanding that the accused be extradited from Uzbekistan to face trial in India.
The murder case was formally registered in Kerala on Wednesday after the family lodged its complaint.
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