Chennai: A fact finding probe launched by CPI (M) into the alleged custodial death indicted the City Police of having committed murder in illegal custody leading to the demise of Dalit youth, Meenu aka Meen Kozhambu Karthik of Chinthadripet on Friday.
The team urged Uthiramerur magistrate to record the statements of the co-suspects who were witness to the custodial torture in illegal custody besides registering a murder case against the police officials.
According to the probe, it was established that the youth was under custody since September 19 until the time of his demise. The cops had paid Rs 2 lakh to the family to keep the issue under wraps, which endorses the fact that the youth was killed in custody.
Furthermore, the City Police had not acted on the petition filed by the Karthik's mother Ganga. The report slammed the claims of the cops that the deceased Karthik and his friend A. Arunachalam had figured in the CCTV footage in which a woman software professional was robbed on Sakthi Srinivasan Salai, Mettukuppam, in Thuraipakkam.
“The doctors who gave the death report of Karthik admitted that the body had aberrations on both thighs. He also had a scar on the right clavicle area. The doctors have also mentioned “multiple bruises positive”, observed the report.
“The namesake suspension of lower rung cadre would not be enough. The personnel from Kannagi Nagar, Semmenjeri, Thuraipakkam and Neelankarai Police stations should be subjected to identification parade before Arunachalam and four other youth, also from Chinthadripet, who were detained illegally along with the deceased. The said youth were also subjected to custodial torture”, the team demanded.
The report also alleged that the officials resorted to custodial torture after learning that the deceased and his friends belong to Scheduled Caste community. The jurisdictional DCP and ACP should be placed under suspension for the custodial violence besides transferring the investigation to the CBI, and initiating prosecution for bribing the family with Rs 2 lakh.
The fact finding team comprised R. Velmurugan, Convenor, State Human Rights Committee (SHRC) - CPI(M), Adv. N. Lalitha, Member, SHRC - CPI(M) and M. Dhamodaran, district secretary, South Chennai, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), released the 18-page report to the media.
