The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has ordered the State Police Chief to conduct an unbiased and just probe into a petition in which a person suffered serious injuries in an instance of alleged police brutality.
SHRC Chairman Antony Dominic issued the order based on a petition filed by Sujo Johny, son of Johny Joseph of Manaykkapady in Karumaloor, demanding compensation and strict action against the guilty officers. Joseph died in an accident in March last year.
The petition was based on an incident that occurred on June 18, 2015, when the then Aluva West sub inspector C.V. Laijumon took Joseph into custody and assaulted him brutally after a domestic quarrel he had with his wife. Joseph approached the SHRC after his petition to senior police officers did not evoke any response.
The then District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) had submitted a report favourable to the cops following an inquiry conducted on the direction of the SHRC. Following this, Joseph approached the commission again on January 4 last year. On being asked for a report by the SHRC, the Aluva inspector found the complaint baseless.
Finding the response unsatisfactory, the investigation wing of the commission held a probe. Mr. Johny told the commission that his father was assaulted by the police and had to undergo treatment at Paravur taluk hospital and Ernakulam General Hospital for serious spine injuries from June 19 to June 27, 2015. The commission secured the treatment details from the General Hospital and observed that the police had not bothered to record the statement of the victim even though he was hospitalised for eight days.
Despite being served with four notices, the respondent Mr. Laijumon never appeared before the commission. Mr. Dominic observed that had the police conducted a proper inquiry on the direction of the former commission chairman J.B. Koshy then the victim would have been spared the ordeal of approaching the commission again.
