Kerala custodial death: Govt initiates action to dismiss accused cops

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government informed the State Assembly that action has been initiated to prosecute and dismiss police officers and a home guard who are accused of involving in the Nedumankandam custodial death in 2019. The government also said that the state has directed the State Police Chief to dismiss the accused from service.

The decision to dismiss Sub-Inspector KA Sabu, Assistant Sub-Inspector Roy P Varghese, driver Niyaz, Civil Police Officers Jithin K George and Rejimon, and Home Guard James KM was taken based on the inquiry report of the Justice K. Narayana Kurup Commission, which had probed the case.

According to reports, Rajkumar who was a financial agent was rounded up on June 12, 2019, by a group of people to who he owed money to and they handed him over to the Nedumkandam police. Police, however, recorded his arrest only four days later on June 16 and later shifted him to the state-run Peerumedu Taluk Hospital, where he died on June 21.

The commission found that Rajkumar was being subjected to brutal third-degree torture at the Nedumkandam police station in Idukki as the autopsy report revealed 22 injury marks on Rajkumar's body, most below the thighs.

Though the post-mortem mentioned pneumonia as the cause of death, the Commission exhumed the body to ascertain the actual cause of death.

In a 150-page report submitted by the commission to the government in January this year, they have recommended the punishment of three medical professionals who were also found guilty in connection with the case. It has also been decided to give a compensation of Rs 45 lakh to the family of the deceased.