The Congress-led Opposition on Thursday walked out of the Assembly blaming the government for its failure to put an end the custodial deaths by the State police and not initiating proper action against those responsible for the torture of the 31-year-old Hakeem of Mundiyeruma at the Nedumkandam police station in Idukki district.
Congress member Shafi Parambil, who sought leave of the House for an adjournment motion, said Hakeem, an autorickshaw driver, who was arrested for domestic violence was subjected to custodial torture on June 15 by the law enforcers in the same police station where financier Rajkumar was brutally tortured while in custody,
The legislator told the House that the police demanded ₹4,000 for repairing the grill of the lockup that got damaged when Hakeem was assaulted. The grill was finally repaired by a welder who was arranged by Hakeem’s mother.
Pointing out that 32 deaths had taken place in police action, including seven deaths in police custody, after the present LDF regime took over, the Congress legislator said the police were lynching the accused and that the government was giving protection to the ‘killers.’
No action was being taken to end the police torture and the accused were being reinstated. “The police should follow the rules and regulations and should not turn courts for political parties,” he said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the police had already registered cases against two officers on the basis of a complaint filed by Hakeem that he was subjected to torture in custody at Nedumkandam police station. The accused, who was taken into custody following a complaint by his wife, had not made any complaint before the magistrate and during the medical examination.
Quoting the reply given by the former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala that 13 custodial deaths took place during the previous UDF regime, the Chief Minister said the government stance was very clear on the issue and that those involved in torture would not be retained in the police force. Action had been taken against 12 police officers involved in crime cases and three had been removed from service in the last three years. The government would not protect the guilty police officers, the Chief Minister reiterated.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said a Minister hailing from the Idukki district was supporting and protecing the accused police officers and demanded a judicial inquiry into the police tortures. The police were being politicised and misused by the CPI(M) for political gains, Mr. Chennithala said.
The House witnessed verbal duel between the Opposition and treasury benches over Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan’s suggestion to Mr. Shafi to stick on to the police high-handedness against Hakeem as other instances cited in the notice were already debated in the House.
Following the reply of the Chief Minister, Speaker disallowed the adjournment motion and the Opposition staged a walkout. Indpendent MLA P.C. George also joined them.
