Chennai: People’s Watch, a human rights organisation, on Monday accused the Tamil Nadu Police of gross abuse on jallikattu protestors on January 23 and demanded that the city Police Commissioner S. George be suspended.
Policemen, including many in mufti, brutally thrashed people and stormed into ‘targeted’ areas and crowds, dubbing them as anti-socials, said the seven-member team, which included rights lawyer M.S. Sudha Ramalingam and Dr Gladston Xavier, Head of Social Work Department, Loyola College.
“We found very little evidence that those beaten up were infact mischief makers, whereas there were many videos and eyewitness accounts to say that brutality came from the police,” said Professor Gladston.
“A 32-year-woman in Matankuppam said that cops had unzipped their pants before the women and screamed - ‘sleep with us as you had sheltered the protesters,’” said Sudha Ramalingam.
In a gross human rights violation, police had repeatedly thrashed a 60-year-old woman on her rear at Nadukuppam. They had allegedly framed false accusations against many innocent people, who are now landed in Puzhal jail.
“A 60-year-old mentally unstable man from Ambedkar Bridge is in Puzhal jail, labelled as a terrorist, because he was in the video. An 80-year-old from Matan Kuppam was beaten black and blue,” said Thyagu, a social activist.
The fact-finding team visited the areas in Chennai and collected statements from 150 people, interviewed police officers and watched videos. “Setting the Ice house police station ablaze was the root cause of escalating violence. Though police attribute it to certain Muslim groups, there is no substantial evidence,” said Professor Gladston.
