Kerala: 3 cops get axe for custodial torture

Kochi: Three police personnel, including a sub-inspector, attached to the Muvattupuzha police station, were suspended on Sunday for allegedly subjecting a 36-year-old man to torture in police custody while probing a theft case. “Sub-Inspector N.A. Anoop, senior civil police officer V.M. Abdul Khader and CPO K.R. Manoj Kumar have been placed under suspension pending inquiry. Charges for Assault (Sec 341) were lodged against them. A detailed probe has been ordered into the charges of custodial torture,” said Ernakulam Rural SP P.N. Unnirajan.

The alleged incident happened on September 25 night when R.F. Pradeesh, a tailor by profession, was picked up by a group of local residents from his shop in Vazhakulam and handed over to the Muvattupuzha police claiming that he was the one behind a theft happened in the locality a day before. According to the victim, the cops detained him without registering a complaint and subjected him to third degree torture like smearing chilly paste on his body after inflicting bruises.

All this while he denied having any role in the theft but the cops continued the physical harassment. Finally he was released on Thursday and admitted to a private hospital in Thodupuzha. Later he was referred to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College where he is currently undergoing treatment. Pradeesh, a native of Attingal, came to Vazhakulam only two weeks back and rented out a house there. Unidentified men had decamped with Rs 41,000 and a Rado watch from a house near his rented home. The next day a group of locals, reportedly CPM workers, handed him over to police.