Dismiss Kerala Police officers who thrashed Youth Congress leader, demands Congress

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 3 (IANS) Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday demanded the immediate dismissal of police officers who brutally assaulted a Youth Congress leader inside a police station in Kerala's Thrissur, after shocking CCTV visuals of the incident surfaced following a two-year legal battle.

The visuals, obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) appeal, show Chovannur Youth Congress mandalam President Sujith being mercilessly beaten by policemen inside the Kunnamkulam police station on April 5, 2023.

He had reportedly questioned police officers who were intimidating his friends standing by the roadside, a move that enraged Sub-Inspector Nuhman.

According to the footage, Sujith was dragged to the station in a police jeep with his shirt forcibly removed.

Once inside, more than three officers surrounded him and repeatedly struck him on the back and face while forcing him into a crouched position.

Medical examinations later confirmed that the assault caused Sujith hearing damage in one ear. Instead of registering the crime, the police filed a false FIR accusing Sujith of creating trouble in an inebriated state, obstructing duty, and harassing officers.

However, a medical test ordered by the Chavakkad magistrate's court proved that he had not consumed alcohol.

The court granted him bail, but Sujith was forced into a prolonged legal battle to prove his innocence and access the CCTV evidence.

Chennithala, reacting strongly to the release of the footage, said the visuals were a chilling reminder of unchecked police brutality.

"Who gave the police the authority to beat up a young man so savagely, in a manner that numbs human conscience? Such brutal officers must not be tolerated in the force—they should be dismissed immediately," he said.

He added that police stations were not "torture centres" or "Nazi detention camps" to crush political opponents, but should function as service centres for the people.

The case, now under trial, has triggered widespread outrage. With the footage publicly available, pressure is mounting on the state police to take urgent disciplinary action against the officers involved.

--IANS

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