KOCHI: After a couple’s nearly one-and-a-half-year-long struggle for justice, visuals of the custodial torture by officers of Ernakulam Town police station on Shymol N J, who was then pregnant with her third child, and her husband Benjo surfaced on Thursday — buttressing their allegations. The two, who run a tourist home in the city, were allegedly assaulted inside the police station in connection with a case accusing them of obstructing official duties and aiding the escape of accused persons.
The footage, released following a High Court directive to produce the station’s CCTV visuals, shows Shymol being pushed and slapped by then inspector Prathap Chandran K G. “Despite being three months pregnant, I was subjected to severe physical assault by the police. The officer pushed and slapped me,” Shymol said.
In the wake of the incident and based on the report submitted by the Kochi city police commissioner, South Zone Inspector General S Syam Sundar suspended Prathap Chandran with immediate effect. Detailing the incident linked to the case registered against them, Shymol said it occurred on June 18, 2024, when Benjo recorded a video of two youths being taken into police custody in front of their tourist home.
“Two days later, Benjo was taken into custody and booked as the third accused in the case. When my husband was taken into custody, I went to the police station.
It was there that I was subjected to torture, and a separate FIR was registered against me as well, with charges including obstructing the official duties of police personnel.” Following the incident, the couple lodged complaints against the officers with the chief minister, the DGP, the Women’s Commission and the Human Rights Commission.
Meanwhile, Prathap Chandran, now the station house officer with Aroor police station, had earlier told TNIE that the couple were once arrested for attacking a woman at their tourist home. He claimed that during that incident, they deliberately obstructed police duties, assaulted him personally, and helped the accused escape from the scene. However, he did not respond when TNIE attempted to contact him again.