The Kerala administration has agreed to hand over the investigation of 18-year-old tribal youth Gokul’s custodial death to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This decision comes amid allegations of police negligence after Gokul was found dead in the washroom of Kalpetta police station on April 1, a day after his arrest related to a missing minor girl.

A notification published in the Kerala Gazette on June 6 states that the state gave consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act for the CBI to investigate the case, which was registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitha, 2023.

Gokul, from Nellarachal in Wayanad, and the missing girl were taken into custody from Kozhikode on March 31. While the girl was sent to a government shelter, Gokul remained detained overnight since it was too late to produce him before a magistrate. The next morning, he was found hanging inside the police toilet.

Following a preliminary inquiry, two police officers on duty—Assistant Sub-Inspector Deepa and Civil Police Officer Sreejith—were suspended by Wayanad District Police Chief Taposh Basumatari. Though the postmortem revealed no signs of torture or injuries, the police faced heavy criticism for inadequate surveillance and care.

The tragic incident ignited widespread protests, leading the Kerala State Human Rights Commission to take up the case. Initially, the state ordered a Crime Branch investigation. Reports indicate Gokul and the girl had fled their tribal settlements due to inter-tribal tensions related to their relationship, with both families filing missing complaints earlier.