New information about Lavanaya’s death has emerged from a YouTube channel’s investigative report. In the report, Lavanaya’s maternal grandmother has revealed that she had told her uncle that she consumed pesticide because she was forced to convert. She has also revealed that TN police had been paying them visits even after Madras HC directed CBI to take over the case.

Lavanya in her dying declaration and her parents in various interviews had said that the nuns had asked her to convert to Christianity by promising good education. But the police department hadn’t considered it and ruled out the conversion angle at the initial stages of the investigation itself. High ranking ministers also supported it saying they have evidence to prove that Lavanya was not forced to convert. Following this her parents had approached the court fearing intervention of political powers in the case if it continues to be investigated by the state police.

HC had directed the state police to hand over the case file to CBI on January 31. Later it was challenged in the Supreme Court by the TN government but SC refused to interfere in HC’s decision. Meanwhile there have been continuous attempts by vested interests to vilify Lavanaya’s stepmother to divert the course of investigation. YouTube channel Chanakya has been investigating the issue and interviewed Lavanaya’s parents, relatives and others which brought forward many facts.

Now the channel has interviewed Lavanaya’s maternal grandmother and the doctor who treated her for skin disease. Both have revealed information that Lavanya was indeed forced to convert and what the stepmother had said about her treatment and other things were indeed true.

Lavanya’s Grandmother

Lavanya’s biological mother Kanimozhi had passed away 8 years ago and her dad remarried. Kanimozhi’s mother Mangayarkarasi is the maternal grandmother of Lavanya. Mangayarkarasi’s elder sister, who now resides in Coimbatore, was the one who approached Childline through an activist alleging that Lavanya was mistreated by her stepmother.

Talking to Chanakya, Mangayarkarasi told that she and her second son, Lavanya’s maternal uncle, had visited her in the hospital after she consumed pesticide. She said that Lavanya had told her uncle that tried to end her life because she was forced to convert. Mangayarkarasi also revealed that state police have been visiting her almost everyday posing her the same question repeatedly. They asked her who is behind Lavanya’s death.

They visited her elder sister in Coimbatore as well and allegedly pressurized her. She said, “She asked me whether I had received money(to not tell the truth) and told me to tell them everything I know. She said that police visit their house and are pressurising them”. Even though HC ordered for a CBI inquiry in the case, TN police continued to visit her till February 10 in mufti(non-uniform).

Lavanya’s Doctor

After Kanimozhi died, Lavanya’s stepmother Saranya was the one who took care of her. Saranya had faced the media bravely even when they treated her badly by asking inconsiderate questions. Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti, where Lavanaya studied, had told the media that Saranya treated Lavanya badly and that was the reason behind her consuming poison. They said that Lavanya was not allowed to mingle with others in her house as she had skin disease and so she didn’t want to go gone for holidays.

Media amplified this propaganda alleging that Saranya treated her badly because she had some form of skin disease. Allegations were made that the hostel warden, who Lavanaya accused of torturing her for not converting, paid her fees and bought her new dress as Saranya was not really fond of Lavanaya. But Saranya had denied these allegations and told in another Chanakya TV interview that she had personally taken Lavanya to the hospital and had spent a lot of money for treatment despite their situation.

Chanakya TV’s reporter had reached out to the dermatologist mentioned by Saranya to verify her claims. The doctor, though initially couldn’t remember treating Lavanya, later responded. The doctor said that Saranya brought Lavanya for treatment and that she/he didn’t know at that time that she was her stepmother. The doctor confirmed that she/he noticed nothing that showed Saranya treated Lavanya badly.

The doctor also confirmed that the kind of medicines that she/he wrote for Lavanya were a little bit costly and the treatment would have cost as much as claimed by Saranya including transport charges.

Questions

• Why, TN police despite visiting and inquiring Lavanya’s maternal grandmother so many times, didn’t “find” or “reveal” what the girl told her uncle? Police leaked information through media that she had called Childline alleging torture by her stepmother.
• Why, TN police continued to visit the grandmother even after HC transferred the case to CBI
• Is the DMK government trying to sabotage the investigation by intimidating Lavanya’s relatives through police?
• Did police investigate the operation and fundings of St.Michael’s Home for Children, which the NCPCR Chairman found is a “Child Care Institution” and not a “hostel”? 

St.Michael’s Home for Children

NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanoongo, who went to Thanjavur with a team to investigate, found that the license of St.Michael Home for Children expired in November and hasn’t been renewed yet. He also informed the media that contrary to the claims made by media and others, the institution is registered as a “child care institution” and not as a hostel.

The institution was directly funded by the Vatican. In a report titled “THE PONTIFICAL MISSIONARY COOPERATION AND SOLIDARITY BETWEEN CHURCHES” for the year of 2018/2019, it is declared that 3 Children’s homes in Michaelpatti, Megalathur and Pullambadi were given $5,500 for maintenance. There is no children’s home in Michaelpatti except St.Michael’s Home for Children where Lavanya stayed.