About 20 to 30 personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) allegedly went berserk, beating some civilians, damaging vehicles with lathis and stones and threatening some people at gunpoint in Kuthethur on the outskirts of the city late on Sunday. According to the police, four persons were injured and five vehicles were damaged in the incident. Among those injured included those had come for a funeral.
The personnel were said to be angry over stray incidents of stone throwing at their quarters in Kuthethur Sunday night.
The CISF men hit the Kuthethur road around 10.30 p.m. on Sunday after one of their quarters was stoned at. They randomly stopped a motorcycle and took the driver and the pillion rider to a bus shelter and allegedly assaulted them. Asif (20), a labourer, and his friend Niyaz, who was riding pillion, said in their complaint, “Both of us were taken to a bus shelter, tied and beaten badly.” Both of them are admitted in a hospital in Surathkal. Then the personnel blocked the car of Joison Pinto, who was visiting a bereaved relative. “They blocked my car and tried to pull me out. I got scared and drove away. Then they threw stones on my car. The car stopped after it fell in a ditch,” he said. Hearing about the incident, Praveen Fernandes, whose grandmother had passed away, and his relative Alwyn Walter D’Souza and a few residents of the Kuthethur came to the spot.
Mr. Fernandes said the CISF personnel, most of them in their casual dress, were not ready to explain their violence. He said: “We were shocked with the attack. They even threatened to enter houses in the locality. They were not ready to listen that people are coming to my house to attend the funeral of my grandmother.”
As residents were returning to their vehicles, CISF personnel allegedly hit Mr. Fernandes, Mr. D’Souza and a few others. Mr. D’Souza has also been admitted to the hospital with injuries on his hand and bruises on his face. Mr. Fernandes’ suffered bruises on his hands.
Mr. Pinto, Mr. Niyaz and Mr. Asif have filed separate complaints against the CISF personnel at Surathkal police station. A complaint has been filed by CISF Inspector R.C. Bodh stating that an official multi-utility vehicle of the CISF was damaged. It does not say specifically who damaged the CISF vehicle.
Police Commissioner Manish Kharbikar said the police will investigate into the complaints and file charge sheet against guilty persons.
Meanwhile the CISF has sent Senior Commander Anil Bali to inquire into the incident. “If there is any mistake from our personnel, action will certainly be taken,” Deputy Inspector General (South) N. Venugopal told The Hindu from Chennai. Mr. Venugopal said personnel were concerned over stones being thrown at the quarters at Kuthethur for the past five days. Residents gathered at Kuthethur to condemn the action of the CISF. MLA Moiuddin Bawa and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel visited the spot.
