A 39-year-old Dalit woman from Kerala has made serious allegations of inhumane treatment, stripping and searching and mental harassment in police custody. The FIR in the case turned out to be false, but the action is still incomplete.
Thiruvananthapuram — A 39-year-old Dalit woman Bindu was not only arrested on false charges of theft in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, but also had to face inhumane mental torture in police custody. After this case came to light, there has been a stir in the state politics and the opposition has launched a scathing attack on the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the police department.
False allegation of theft and harassment in custody
Bindu, who is a domestic worker and hails from Chullimanoor, was accused by her employer of stealing a gold chain on April 23. Based on this complaint, the Perurkada police called her and called her to the police station. On reaching the police station, the victim repeatedly said that she was innocent, but the police did not listen to her.
According to Bindu, a woman police officer took her to a room, made her remove her clothes and searched her. Then the police took her to her house and searched there too. During this time she was not allowed to talk to the family, nor was she given food and water.
Bindu told the media, “When I asked for water, a policeman said – ‘Go to the toilet and drink from there’.”
Detained overnight, threatened to implicate daughters
Bindu said that she was kept in the police station all night and the interrogation continued till the next morning. An FIR was registered and the police threatened her that if she did not confess to the theft, her minor daughters would also be implicated in the case.
Later when the mistress of the house and her daughter reached the police station again, they said that they had been ‘forgiven’. After some time it was found that the stolen gold chain was found in the house itself, and the complainant herself admitted that the allegation was false.
Complaint ignored in CMO
When Bindu gave a written complaint to Chief Minister’s political secretary P. Sasi with the help of a lawyer, she claims that Sasi neither read the complaint nor gave any assurance. “He said that this is a common thing and advised me to go to court,” Bindu said.
However, the CMO later clarified that the police were directed to take action after receiving the complaint. But according to Bindu, she had also requested the CMO to register a case against the woman who falsely accused her, which was rejected.
Opposition and social organizations’ outrage
Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan condemned the incident, saying, “This is not just an isolated incident but an example of injustice meted out to Dalits by the ruling system. Strict action should be taken against the guilty police officials.”
Former Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan called it “inhuman” and said that such incidents should have no place in a progressive society.
Congress state president Sunny Joseph and AIDWA (All India Democratic Women’s Association) national president P.K. Srimathi also condemned the incident. “No woman should be treated like this. This is an example of police brutality,” Srimathi said.
Policeman suspended, BNSS law violated
An inquiry conducted by Police Commissioner Thomson Jose revealed that several procedural lapses were committed in Bindu’s arrest. The inquiry found that the police violated the provisions of the Indian Civil Security Code (BNSS) – which prohibits arresting women after sunset and before sunrise, unless with the permission of a magistrate.
The police neither informed her family about the arrest nor gave any explanation in court as to why the arrest was necessary in an emergency situation.
Based on these serious lapses, sub-inspector SG Prasad of Perurkada police station has been suspended and an inquiry is underway against other responsible officers.
Demand for justice
Bindu has filed complaints with the chief minister, the state police chief and the Scheduled Caste Commission and is now preparing to move court. She said the police not only discriminated against her on the basis of caste but also physically and mentally tortured her.
Bindu said, “I have identified some policemen. I will go to court. I want justice.”
Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News