‘Kerala Police Is My Enemy’ Says Jishnu’s Sister Arya

Jishnu Pranoy’s 15-year-old sister is still struggling to come to terms with her brother’s death.

Arya says she could not bear the sight of her family being denied justice. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

On Wednesday morning, television channels kept playing, on loop, visuals of her parents and other family members being dragged away by the police.

15-year-old Arya watched on TV her mother Mahija, fighting against all odds, screaming her lungs out at the police personnel who forcefully arrested her outside the Kerala DGP's office.

While the brazen attitude of the Kerala police was out on display at the state's capital Thiruvananthapuram, Arya was at her home in Kozhikode's Nadapuram.

Arya says she could not bear the sight of her family being denied justice. She lost her elder brother Jishnu Pranoy to the harassment of college management only three months ago. And now, her mother lies on the hospital bed, tired, but not defeated.

Arya had not been too involved in the protests against the delay in the probe into Jishnu's death, mostly due to her studies.

But on Wednesday, the school student took a vow to join her parents in the struggle to get justice.

I will go to Thiruvananthapuram and join my parents in their hunger strike to get my brother justice. It’s been three months since his death and we are still waiting for justice. Justice has consistently been denied to us.

Arya, Jishnu’s Sister 

Also Read: Jishnu’s Family Arrested For Protesting Outside DGP Office

Do her parents know of her decision? Arya says she has not yet conveyed it to her parents, but is determined to fight the battle herself.

"I could not join my family in their protests because of my school and exams. Now, there's nothing to hold me back. From today onwards, like Nehru College Chairman Krishnadas, Kerala police is also my enemy," Arya says, with determination in her voice.

Her brother's untimely death has affected Arya deeply. The news of his death on 6 January had come at a time when the 15-year-old was gearing up to appear for her Class 10 board examination.

When TNM had visited the family a few days after Jishnu's death, his mother Mahija had expressed concern over Arya's future.

Also Read: Outrage in Kerala: Police Drag Mother of Student Who Killed Self

They were very close to each other. More than me, it was my daughter who missed him when he left to stay in the college hostel in Thrissur. That was the first time Jishnu was staying away from home and Arya refused to eat or study for almost four days. It took a lot of effort to make her understand that Jishnu had gone to study, to build his future. Now what do I tell her?

Mahija, Jishnu’s Mother

Thinking about her examinations brings back a million thoughts to Arya's mind.

I don’t even know how I did the exams....I don’t quite remember. I studied something... wrote something in the papers... I can’t explain further.

Arya

(Arya is her pet name, while her real name is Avishna)

(The story first appeared on The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)

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