The State Human Rights Commission has ordered a compensation of Rs.1 lakh to a woman who was kept in custody at Mattannur police station in Kannur with handcuffs in 2011. The amount is to be recovered from the salary of Sub Inspector G. Anandan who was in charge of the station, Commission Member K.E. Gangadharan directed in his order issued a few days ago.
Sindhu, wife of V. Sundaran of Pappinissery, was taken into custody on May 16, 2011. The commission had registered a case, suo motu, following press reports about her arrest. Though the commission had recorded her testimony about the detention, she later testified in favour of the police.
However, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Special Branch) had testified before the commission that he had seen a woman in handcuffs at the lock-up at 1.30 a.m. The Supreme Court had issued clear directives on use of handcuffs. Their violation would not have taken place without the knowledge of Mr. Anandan who was on duty.
The commission observed that Sindhu had been influenced by the police in changing her testimony and ordered a department-level inquiry into the matter, an official release said.
