Police, Army want to know who gave her access to Cantonment and permission to shoot video
The Army gunner with wife Fini
Roy Mathew
The mysterious death of Lance Naik Roy Mathew has spurred the Army and the Deolali Camp police to go after the reporter of a web portal whose sting operation on the 'humiliating' sahayak system allegedly drove the Armyman over the edge.
The decomposed body of Mathew was found hanging in an abandoned barrack in Deolali Cantonment, Nashik, on March 2. It has been assumed that he committed suicide in a state of distress after the sting operation video, in which he featured, was aired on TV channels on February 23.
Security breach
Highly-placed sources said the Army and the Deolali Camp police are looking at the reporter's entry into the highly-restricted Cantonment as a security breach. Photography/videography is prohibited in and around Army Cantonments without official permission.
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The Army gunner with wife Fini
"We want to know the reporter's sources in the Army who helped her gain access to the restricted area. The Army is also concerned about the manner in which the hidden camera was used and the areas filmed," said a top Nashik police official.
Shrikant Dhivare, deputy commissioner of police (zone-commissioner of police (zone-II), said the reporter will be summoned soon. "We are confident of getting a clearer picture of Roy Mathew's death in the next few days. We have recovered his diary and mobile phone from the spot and are examining them."
A senior police officer said a translation of three to four pages of Mathew's diary from Malayalam has revealed that he decided to kill himself fearing a court martial and asked that no one be held responsible for his death. In his diary entry, Mathew apologised to 30-40 persons, including his colleagues, wife and two unidentified children for allegedly taking the drastic step.
A handwriting expert has been studying the diary, while Mathew's cellphone is being examined for clues. The police are also ascertaining if the video had been tampered with or a voiceover added before being aired.
Second autopsy
A second post-mortem examination was conducted at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, based on the family's demand (see box) after Mathew's mortal remains arrived in Kerala yesterday. The procedure was videographed (which the Nashik Civil Hospital hadn't during its examination).
Dr Rama P, professor and head of the department forensic medicine and toxicology, Government Medical College, said, "We have not given our opinion yet. Samples have been preserved. We will submit our reports to the police."
Kerala cops in too
Meanwhile, a parallel investigation has been launched by Ezhukone police station in Kollam, Kerala, into the death after Mathew's wife, Fini, filed a missing person complaint on March 1. Two Ezhukone policemen will arrive in Deolali by tomorrow to conduct their probe.
Binu Kumar, circle inspector, Ezhukone police, said doctors conducting the second post-mortem examination found no injury on Mathew's body nor have they commented on any ligature. "We will wait for the report."
Kollam Superintendent of Police S Surendran said the case the statements of Mathew's wife and the rest of his family will be recorded within the next few days.
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