Protest march taken out to SP office

Dalit youth’s death after alleged custodial torture

Kottayam, Kerala, 21/07/15. Activists of the Patikajaathi Kshema Samithy holding a sit in at the gates of district headquarters at Kottayam on Tuesday, demanding action against culprites in the death of the dalit youth Siby.

Scores of people took out a protest march on the office of the district police chief demanding immediate steps to bring to book those responsible for the death of Siby, a Dalit youth, allegedly following torture at the Marangattupilly police station. The SP office march, organised by Pattikajaathi Kshema Samithy (Scheduled Castes’ Welfare Committee) and the LDF, wanted the culprits to be charge sheeted for murder.

The march was blocked by the police at the gates of the district headquarters even as the protesters staged a sit-in. Inaugurating the march, Samithy State general secretary K Somaprasad wanted the government to disburse financial aid to the next of kin of the victim.

He also wanted the government to take care of the victim’s family.

Any move to protect the culprits would result in agitations, he said.

CPI(M) district secretary V.N. Vasavan alleged that the police, through their contradictory reports, had proved that a major cover-up was on to protect the culprits.