All eyes were on seven-year-old Alan, who stood up to a senior cop and confronted him head-on.
A sitting of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Wednesday witnessed high drama when the child gave testimony against Yatish Chandra G.H., former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kochi City, for the alleged lathicharge on Puthuvype protesters at High Court Junction. The boy’s statement, which followed a verbal duel between the protesters and the police, indeed left the officer at a loss.
As many as eight Puthuvype residents, including two women and children, attended the sitting at the collectorate conference hall on Wednesday.
The counsel for the protesters said the police had not shown respect to women and had even attacked children while a protest march was being taken out at High Court Junction on June 16 against the LPG plant at Puthuvype. After taking them into custody, the police allegedly denied food and bathroom facilities to them.
Mr. Chandra, however, sought to counter the charge, saying that he had been entrusted with the task of ensuring law and order considering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit the following day.
He also defended himself, saying that the CCTVs, installed at police stations where the protesters were kept, would show otherwise. “Even toys were given to the children,” he said.
The rights panel, which heard the views of both the officer and the protesters, ordered that the CCTV footage from four police stations where the protesters were kept be produced. A notice will be served on the police officers concerned soon, it said.
According to SHRC Chairman P. Mohanadas, evidence collection will be held during the next hearing to be held in September. The police should now produce the unedited video, he ordered.
As many as 10 complaints were settled of the 64 grievances considered by the panel.
