THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch, investigating the alleged harassment of a dalit woman at the Peroorkada police station, is likely to record her statement on Monday.
Bindu R, a domestic help, was kept in illegal custody and mentally harassed for nearly 20 hours on April 23 after being accused of theft by her employer, Omana Davis. The complaint, which alleged that an 18g gold chain had gone missing, later turned out to be baseless.
The case was handed over to the Crime Branch following a directive of the State Human Rights Commission to appoint an officer from outside the district. Pathanamthitta Crime Branch DySP K A Vidyadharan is leading the probe. He will probe aspects, including the conduct of the officers involved and the motive behind the complaint by Omana.
Two officers from the Peroorkada station - SI S G Prasad and ASI Prasanna Kumar - have already been suspended for their involvement in the incident. Prasanna, who was in charge of maintaining the station’s general diary (GD), allegedly aided in the illegal detention, made casteist remarks and told Bindu to consume water from the toilet when she requested drinking water. Prasad’s suspension was based on an adverse report filed by the Special Branch Assistant Commissioner, who had probed the incident.
During her detention, Bindu was mocked for her skin colour, deprived of sleep, denied water and threatened with false charges against her daughters if she did not confess. Though an FIR was registered, she was later released after the complainant admitted that the ornaments were found at home.
Following the ordeal, Bindu approached the Chief Minister’s office but his political secretary P Sasi allegedly dismissed her complaint. The issue gained momentum after public outcry, prompting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to call the incident ‘unacceptable’.