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Kerala: Soldier, sibling tortured in custody, four cops suspended
Inspector General of Police (southern range) P Prakash said preliminary inquiry has pointed to serious lapses on the part of the accused officers
The Kerala police on Thursday suspended four police officers,including a station house officer, in connection with the alleged custodial torture of an army soldier and his brother Kollam district on August 25.
The victims identified as P Vignesh and his elder brother Vishnu.
According to their mother Saleena, Vishnu had come to their native village to take up discussions of his marriage but the proposal was pulled back after his arrest.
The suspended police officers are SHO K Vinod, sub inspector Anish AP, ASI Prakash Chandran and civil police officer Manikantan Pillai.
According to a complaint lodged by Vignesh, he was summoned to Kilikollur police station on August 25 to bail a friend who was arrested on charges of keeping drugs (MDMA). Vignesh and Vishnu refused to pay for the bail, and an altercation ensued between them and the police officials. The brothers were eventually booked under section 353 of the IPC for attacking police officials on duty and forcibly trying to release one of the prisoners.
Vignesh alleged that the police tortured them for hours. When asked for water, they were given a cup and asked to drink urine, he alleged in the complaint.
“Even after we were released, the policemen came to the hospital and threatened to frame us in the drug case if we revealed the truth. My brother was also threatened that they will inform army officials about the recovery of drugs,” said Vignesh, adding that both sustained serious injuries in police torture.
A doctor who treated the brothers said the incident has damaged Vignesh’s spinal cord and his recovery will take a long time.
The matter came to light on Thursday, following which the police launched a probe into the matter.
Inspector General of Police (southern range) P Prakash said preliminary inquiry has pointed to serious lapses on the part of the accused officers. An enquiry by a top police official was ordered and a report would be compiled in two weeks, the suspension order said.
The incident also triggered strong reactions from political parties.
The Communist Party of India state secretary, Kanam Rajendran, demanded strong action against the erring officials saying “some officers were out to dent the image of the government”. “If the police acted contrary to the government policy, then obviously action would be taken with respect to that,” he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, told reporters that he has stated in the past that police stations were functioning according to directives of the local leadership of the Left party and not as per orders of the senior policemen.
“Both had undergone severe injuries. It seems both were produced in court two days after their arrest,” said Congress legislator P C Vishnunath who called on the brothers at the hospital.
Seeing news reports, the State Human Rights Commission intervened on its own and registered a case in connection with the custodial violence. The Commission directed the Kollam District police chief to probe into the matter and submit a report within 15 days.
