Kerala torture death in focus as victim’s mum holds ‘sorrow march’
Rajkumar, a small-time financier, died in police custody on June 21
Thiruvananthapuram: The custodial death of a remand prisoner in Kerala’s Idukki district, allegedly owing to third-degree police torture, attracted more attention and criticism on Thursday, with the victim’s mother and close relatives holding a ‘sorrow march’ in the state capital.
Rajkumar, 49, a small-time financier died in police custody on June 21, days after he was taken into custody after complaints that he had cheated people who deposited money in his firm, Haritha Financiers.
But reported brutality by police personnel over several days from the time Rajkumar was taken into custody on June 12, kicked up widespread anger in the state against the accused policemen and the Left Democratic Front government.
Two policemen, K.A. Sabu, a sub-inspector of police, and Sajeev Antony, a civil police officer, have been arrested this week and there are indications that the superintendent of police for Idukki district, K.B. Venugopal may be shifted out of his post.
On Thursday, Rajkumar’s mother Kasthuri held a march in the state capital, accompanied by family members and friends. Kasthuri said she was “not fully satisfied” with the ongoing crime branch investigation, and sought a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into her son’s death in police custody.
A placard she held read, “Charge the police officials who tortured my son to death with murder, and arrest them”.
The case rocked the state assembly yet again on Thursday. Congress leader Shafi Parambil said custodial deaths had become a routine in Kerala. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan who holds the home portfolio in turn drew the attention of the opposition to the police atrocities during the Emergency in the 1970s under Congress rule.