Thiruvananthapuram: Allegations of police brutality are once again in the spotlight in Kerala, following the release of videos showing the assault of Youth Congress leader Sujith V.S. in Kunnamkulam.
Sujith was taken into custody on April 6, 2023, after intervening when police were questioning his friends. He claims he was assaulted by officers when he resisted. After a two-year legal battle using the Right to Information (RTI) Act, he finally obtained the CCTV footage of the incident, which was recently made public.
This case is one of several that point to a disturbing trend. On April 1, a 17-year-old tribal youth named Gokul was found dead inside the Kalpetta police station. His family alleges he was threatened by police before his death. The case has since been handed over to the CBI.
Similar incidents have been reported across the state:
- In Kozhikode, Muhammed Musthafa claimed he and his brother were assaulted for filming police behavior after a traffic accident. An IUML leader, Mamukkoya, also reported harassment and illegal detention.
- In Kasaragod, BJP worker Sandeep died in 2017 while in police custody. His family alleged torture, though police claimed the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
- In Kannur, Unais (32) died in 2018 after being released from custody with severe injuries. His brother stated that he was unable to stand after returning home.
- A businessman, K.P. Ouseph, used the RTI Act to expose an alleged assault on two hotel staff members at the Peechi police station in Thrissur. He claims officers demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to withdraw the complaint.
These cases, from different parts of Kerala, highlight consistent allegations of police brutality, illegal detention, and misconduct.
With input from TNIE
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