KOCHI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Tuesday issued summons to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Yatish Chandra asking him to appear before it on July 17 and explain his decision to cane Puthuvype protesters at the High Court Junction on June 16.
SHRC acting chairperson P Mohanadas issued the summons to Chandra while considering a petition filed by Manu C Mathew, the chairman of a forum of Puthuvype protesters. In his petition, Manu alleged Chandra brutally manhandled the protesters, which included women and children without provocation.
A police team led by Chandra had resorted to lathicharge on June 16 to disperse around 100 protesters of Puthuvype staging a demonstration at the High Court Junction. The police action drew severe flak from all quarters following which DGP T P Senkumar justified the baton charge saying the action was taken in the wake of the terror threat over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 17 visit to roll out the Kochi Metro.