Skeletal Remains of Kodagu Girl Murdered 18 Years Ago Laid to Rest in Hometown

Following Islamic traditions, the remains were buried in the presence of her grieving family and villagers.

Madikeri: In a poignant end to a tragedy that has haunted Kodagu and Kasaragod for nearly two decades, the skeletal remains of Safiya, a 14-year-old girl brutally murdered in Goa in 2006, were finally laid to rest in her hometown of Kodagu on Monday, November 11.

Following Islamic traditions, the remains were buried in the presence of her grieving family and villagers. The Kasaragod District Court in Kerala, in a landmark decision on November 6, ordered the release of Safiya’s remains, enabling her family to honour her with a proper burial. Following the Court’s directive, the remains were collected from the Kochi Forensic Science Laboratory and transported to her home village.

At Aiyangeri’s old mosque, local religious leader Usman Marzooki led a peace prayer, offering final respects to Safiya. The community gathered in solemn solidarity as her remains were laid to rest in the mosque’s burial grounds, a symbolic return to the land she had left 18 years ago.

The Tragic Background

The tragic story of Safiya, the daughter of Moidu and Ayesha from Napoklu Aiyangeri, began in 2006 when she was taken to Goa by K.C. Hamsa, a private contractor from Muliyaar Mastikunda in Kasaragod, Kerala, who promised her a job as a domestic worker. However, upon arrival, she faced unimaginable abuse at the hands of Hamsa, his wife Maimoona, and Maimoona’s brother, M. Abdullah.

While working in Maimoona’s kitchen, Safiya suffered severe burns from hot water, leaving her in critical condition. Fearing legal repercussions for violating child labour laws, the trio conspired to cover up their crimes in a horrific act: they dismembered her body, placed it in a gunny bag, and buried it near an under-construction bridge in Goa.

Days after Safiya disappeared, her family reported her missing to the Adur Police Station in Kasaragod. As suspicions of foul play grew, community members and local organizations united under the ‘Safiya Action Committee’ to demand a thorough investigation. The case quickly captured media attention, leading to widespread public outcry.

In response to mounting pressure, the Kerala Government transferred the case to the Kasaragod District Crime Branch two years later. Intensive questioning of Hamsa, Maimoona, and Abdullah led to the grim revelation of Safiya’s murder. Following these revelations, on June 5, 2008, investigators exhumed skeletal remains buried at the Goa site, which DNA tests later confirmed as Safiya’s.

Legal Proceedings and Verdicts

The subsequent arrests and trials culminated in a 2015 ruling by the Kasaragod District Principal and Sessions Court. The court sentenced the primary accused, Hamsa, to death and imposed a Rs. 10 lakh fine, while Maimoona and Abdullah each received six-year prison terms and Rs. 1 lakh fines. Two others, Moidu Haji and Adur Police Station ASI Gopalakrishna, who were also implicated in the case, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

However, in 2019, following an appeal by Hamsa, the Kerala High Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. The Court noted that he had no previous criminal record and referenced Supreme Court guidelines to determine that the death penalty was unwarranted in this instance. Additionally, the High Court cancelled the sentences of Maimoona and Abdullah, concluding that the original penalties were excessively harsh.

A Sensitive Case Revisited

The heart-wrenching case left a lasting impact on both Kodagu and Kasaragod communities, who remained invested in the family’s quest for justice. With the skeletal remains preserved at the Kochi Forensic Laboratory by court order, Safiya’s family endured an extended wait to reclaim their daughter’s remains. On November 6, 2024, her parents, Moidu and Ayesha, appealed to the Kasaragod District Court, requesting permission to give Safiya a proper burial. The court granted their request, finally enabling the family to perform the last rites according to their Islamic beliefs.

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