A woman named Divya Mandiram and her daughter Gowri went missing 11 years ago on 18 August 2011. They were residents of Kerala.

Divya was 30 while Gowri was two years old.

This week, the police arrested her husband and his first wife for their murders. As per police, the accused hid his Muslim religious identity and marital status from Divya when he married her.

The accused are named Maheen Kannu and Rukhiya.

Thiruvananthapuram police chief D Shilpa led the investigation and shared the results with the media recently.

As per various reports quoting the police, Maheen introduced himself as Manu to Divya. They married and moved in together in a rented accommodation in Ooruttambalam. 

When Divya became pregnant, he went to the Gulf. When he returned, his daughter was one-and-a-half years old.

On his return, Divya came to know that he was Muslim, was already married and had two children. This led to arguments between the couple as well as between Divya and Rukhiya.

On 18 August 2011, Maheen took Divya and her daughter to Velankanni. The two were never seen again.

After three days of their disappearance, Divya’s father filed a complaint at Maranalloor police. 

Divya’s sister Sharanya told the police she saw Divya leave with Maheen on the night of 18 August, and this became a major lead into the case. However, the police failed to find them. Two years ago, the case was transferred to Thiruvananthapuram Rural District Crime Branch.

In October this year, Thiruvananthapuram police chief D Shilpa formed a 15-member team led by Additional Superintendent of Police MK Sulfikar for the investigation.

Probe revealed serious lapses on part of the police. It was found that the police had found the bodies in 2011 itself, suggesting a cover-up.

The revelation in Divya and her daughter’s murder has come at a time when there is countrywide outrage against the murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner Aaftab Ameen Poonawalla in New Delhi. 

After Shraddha’s parents disapproved of her relationship with Aaftab on account of his being Muslim, she moved in with him in Vasai (west) where both have families. 

Earlier this year, the couple shifted from Maharashtra to New Delhi, where Aaftab strangled Shraddha after an argument. He then bought a large refrigerator, chopped her body’s into 35 pieces and stored them in the fridge. 

Over the next two weeks, he disposed of all the parts by throwing them in the jungle.