PALAKKAD: Seven police personnel have been suspended pending inquiry based on a preliminary investigation carried out into the death of a Scheduled Tribe civil police officer of the Armed Reserve Camp in Kallekad-, Kumar N K. The body of Kumar was found near the tracks at the Lakkidi railway station on the night of July 25. A case was registered the same day by Ottappalam police, District Superintendent of Police G Siva Vikram told mediapersons here on Friday.
He said based on the preliminary inquiry conducted by the Special Branch DySP, assistant sub-inspectors Rafeeq N and Harigovindan P, senior civil police officer Mohammed Azad M, civil police officers Mahesh K C, Sreejith S, Vysakh K and Jayesh V of the District Armed Reserve Camp have been placed under suspension with immediate effect.
However, the district police chief said there was no evidence that Kumar had faced caste discrimination and that he was stripped and beaten up by senior police officers. He said there would be a detailed investigation into the complaints raised by Kumar’s family. Kumar’s wife, Sajini, had petitioned the SP stating that her husband was physically and mentally harassed by senior colleagues and that he had also faced caste discrimination .
The SP said Kumar had met him at his office and had a one-on-one discussion on the issues he had been facing at the workplace. At that time, Kumar had not mentioned any caste discrimination, he added.Siva Vikram, however, said that there was a lapse in the allotment of residential quarters and the denial of keys of the quarters and the mobile phone to Kumar by the senior officials concerned. And three of the seven police personnel were suspended in this connection.
The complaint against the Deputy Commandant of the camp, Surendran L levelled by Kumar’s immediate family members will be included in the detailed inquiry which has been ordered. The Crime Branch will conduct a detailed inquiry. There will also be a department-level inquiry, said the SP.
SP promises detailed inquiry
The district police chief, while promising a detailed probe, though, said there is no evidence Kumar faced casteism and that he was beaten up by senior officers
SC/ST Commission collects evidence
Palakkad: Member of the SC/ST Commission S Ajay Kumar reached the Armed Reserve Camp in Kallekad on Friday and collected evidence from police officials regarding the suspicious death of Adivasi civil police officer Kumar who was attached to the camp. Ajay spoke to camp in charge Kuriachan and senior civil police officer Mohammed Azad M whose name was mentioned in Kumar’s suicide note.
Wife seeks judicial probe
T’Puram: Sajini, wife of civil police officer, Kumar whose body was found near the railway track in Lakkidi, Palakkad, on July 25, met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala here on Friday demanding a judicial probe into his death. After the meeting, Sajini said the chief minister has promised to hold a judicial probe into the death. “We are pinning our hopes on the judicial probe and we will not hesitate to approach the Union Home Ministry if the state fails to act upon the plea,” she said.