KSHRC probes police assault on youth congress leader after CCTV footage surfaces

Thrissur (Kerala), Sep 4 (PTI) The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has taken up a case on its own initiative into the assault of a Youth Congress leader by police at the Kunnamkulam police station in this district two years ago, the commission said on Thursday.

CCTV footage from Kunnamkulam police station surfaced on Wednesday, in which V S Sujith, a local leader of the Youth Congress, was seen being assaulted inside the station by five police officials.

Sujith said he obtained the CCTV footage after a long legal battle through the Right to Information Act (RTI).

He was taken into custody on April 5, 2023 after he questioned the police for allegedly misbehaving with and threatening his friends who were standing by the roadside, he said.

After the footage surfaced, KSHRC member V Geetha directed the Thrissur District Police Chief to conduct an urgent inquiry, an official statement said.

The police have been directed to submit a detailed report within three weeks, KSHRC added.

Congress leaders have demanded strict action against the police officials involved in the incident.

A protest march was held in front of Kunnamkulam police station on Wednesday night.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala demanded the immediate dismissal of the officers involved in the custodial torture case.

Police on Wednesday said that it had taken disciplinary action against five officers who manhandled Sujith after a custodial torture complaint was raised against them in 2023.

The Judicial First-Class Magistrate of Kunnamkulam directly registered a case, and the trial is ongoing, a police officer said. PTI TBA TGB ROH