KOCHI: The Palarivattom police seem to have taken a leaf out from the book of tortures of the Kerala police of the Emergency era on different ways to torture a person in custody.This was the feeling one got when one heard the revelations that 19-year-old Sooraj, a Dalit youth who was allegedly tortured by Palarivattom police over a week back, made on Sunday, when ‘Express’ met him at Kalamassery Medical College the other day.
“I was beaten continuously for 45 minutes... I screamed with pain... I begged them to stop... They would not listen... They kept beating me,” alleged Sooraj, whose breathing was erratic. He also seemed visibly scared and kept pausing between sentences to catch his breath. It was on September 24 that police allegedly attacked Vennala resident Sooraj, when he sought their intervention in stopping the fight between his father and 23-year-old brother.
“Since my brother and father quarrel daily, I had no other option but to inform my nearby police station. I called the police over phone and they asked me to come to the police station. There, I was greeted with a tight slap on my face,” claimed Sooraj.
“Three police officers beat me with their hands and legs for 45 minutes without stopping. I think it was after I fell unconscious that they ceased beating me,” revealed Sooraj, who had been shifted from ICU to the general ward at KMC just a few minutes before talking to the ‘Express’. “After I regained consciousness, it took me some hours to realise that I had been admitted to KMC,” said Sooraj. He alleged that the police even tried to change the statement from hospital after visiting the ICU at KMC. “Some police officers tried to take a signature from the hospital. They also warned me of dire consequences, should I reveal the incidents of the night of Septemeber 24, he said.
He said he was still clueless about why he was attacked.
“I came to know that the policemen beat me up for drunken driving. They are imposing fake charges on me,” he alleged.
Three policemen suspended
Three officials of the Muvattupuzha police station, including a sub-inspector, were suspended on Sunday for allegedly torturing a 36-year-old man who was taken into custody in connection with a theft case.
“Sub-inspector N A Anoop and civil police officers Manoj Kumar and Abdul Khader have been placed under suspension pending inquiry. Meanwhile, the Department has ordered a detailed inquiry into the torture allegation,” said Ernakulam Rural SP P N Unnirajan.
It was on September 25 that Pradeesh R F, a tailor by profession, was picked up by local residents from his shop at Vazhakulam and handed over to the Muvattupuzha police, claiming that the theft reported in the area a day earlier was committed by him. According to the victim, the police officials detained him without registering case and subjected to ‘third degree’ torture. He alleged that the officials smeared chili paste on the bruises inflicted during the torture, and continued the assault even though he pleaded innocence. Pradeesh was released on Thursday, and was admitted to a private hospital at Thodupuzha. Later, he was shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, where he is currently undergoing treatment. Pradeesh, a native of Attingal, came to Vazhakulam only two weeks ago and had been living in a rented house.