Kerala law student rape and murder: Death row convict Ameerul Islam moves Supreme Court seeking transfer from Kerala jail to Assam

Mohammed Ameerul Islam, the convict sentenced to death by a Kerala court for the rape and murder of a Dalit law student in 2016, moved the Supreme Court on Monday requesting that he be transferred from Kerala to Assam and lodged in a jail in Assam..The petition filed through advocates Sriram Parakkat and Satheesh Mohanan said that due to extreme poverty, the convict's wife and aged parents, who are in Assam, are not able to come and meet Islam at Viyyur jail in Kerala where he is currently lodged."The visitation rights are rendered infructuous only because of geographical limitations and absolute penury," the plea said.As a basic human right, it is submitted that the petitioner has a right to meet his family members, it was contended..The plea further highlighted that the convict had made a representation to the Governor of Assam requesting that he be transferred to Assam but the Governor had replied saying that the jurisdiction is with Kerala."It is therefore imperative that the petitioner be allowed to be transferred from Kerala to Assam to protect his fundamental rights and that of his loved ones who are now facing cruel and unusual torture by being denied access to the petitioner due to the inability of the petitioner’s family to travel to Kerala owing to their economically weak stature," the petition contended..The mutilated corpse of the victim, a law student from Government Law College, Ernakulam, was found in her house at Perumbavoor on April 28, 2016. The incident provoked mass outrage amongst the student fraternity and human rights activists across the State. The case also acquired a casteist undertone, as victim's family lamented their apparent ill-treatment by neighbours in the area.Online social media campaigns launched by student activists played a crucial role in mobilizing reactions and mounting pressure on the government to bring the guilty to account.Ameerul, a migrant worker from Assam, was eventually hauled up and accused of having committed the crime after he broke into victim's house in a drunken stupor the night before. Ameerul was arrested in July 2016 from Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu..The trial, which had commenced in April 2016, concluded in December 2017. Ameerul was found guilty by the trial court based on DNA evidence and testimony offered by witnesses.The reference to confirm the death sentence awarded to him is pending before the Kerala High Court.