THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The alleged brutal torture and custodial death of a youth at Tanur police station on August 1 was raised in the assembly on Thursday. Elaborating on the torture that allegedly led to the death of Thamir Jiffri, IUML’s N Shamsudeen said going by available information, Jiffri died of third-degree torture, as was evident from the 21 wounds found on his body.
Shamsudeen pointed to the increasing police brutality in the state. Raising the issue through an adjournment motion, he presented a graphic, yet painful picture of the custodial torture. He also referred to lapses by the police, including filing the FIR after Jiffri’s death.
Questioning Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the death, the MLA alleged that the Malappuram SP was the main culprit behind it. Shamsudeen alleged that Jiffri was killed as per a plan drawn up by the SP.
“Jiffri was taken to the police quarters and subjected to third-degree torture. The postmortem report revealed that 21 wounds were inflicted on his body. This in itself is a proof of the kind of torture he was subjected to. Although Jiffri was taken into custody from his place at Chelari, the police claimed that he was arrested from under the railway bridge at Tanur. It has now also been revealed that he was sodomized in police custody. Though he died at 4.25am, the police registered an FIR at 7.20am by naming Jiffri as the first accused. The police registered an FIR on his death only by 8.30 am. The police also did not allow to keep the body in freezer,” Shamsudeen said.
Demanding that the SP be suspended, the MLA said any inquiry keeping him in service will be a farce.
Responding to the MLA’s statement, the chief minister said the government will not protect those who have done wrong things. He promised to look into the allegations against the SP and take appropriate action.
“There are some aberrations taking place. These are isolated incidents. The government will take stringent action. The government dismissed 27 police officials from service for the first time in the state’s history. The government views custodial deaths and torture as serious issues.
A CBI inquiry has been recommended into the death. It has also been decided to order a magisterial inquiry,” said the CM. Leader of opposition V D Satheesan mocked the CM’s claims and said the state police were so notorious that they had killed Maoists in fake encounters.