BSF jawan Shibin Thomas' parents seek his release

ALAPPUZHA: Parents of Shibin Thomas, a constable with 28 Battalion of Border Security Force (BSF) who is currently under detention at the BSF base at Raiganj in West Bengal, appealed to authorities to save their lone son. During a press meet here in the Press Club on Friday, Thomas John, 55 and Rosamma Thomas, 49, Ittiyam Veliyil, in Aryad North, said that it was important to get their son freed and not his job. “We got to know our son is languishing in a dark room without even a ceiling  fan for the last one week. We fear for his life,” they said.

According to parents, their son went out of reach since last Monday. He has been confined to a dingy room and not allowed to go out. His phone was seized. “Officials behaved harshly with him. We tried to get in touch with his commandants, but they did not respond properly so far,” they added. Shibin Thomas is facing an inquiry for allegedly misbehaving with his colleague Dr Rohan Kumar, general duty medical officer.

The parents allege that he was framed with false charges by his senior officials when he tried to expose their corruption in his previous 41 Battalion by filing a RTI with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Shibin was dismissed from service without pensionary benefits in December, 2015. He filed an RTI on September 24,  2015. He was later reinstated pending inquiry in December 2016 following a petition to the PMO. Shibin is married to Sophiya, an unaided school teacher. The parents say they have no belief in preset probe team which is headed by same corrupt officers. They allege that his son’s detention was a result of conspiracy by the probe team.