Police accused of assaulting youth, crushing genitals while searching for brother

KOLLAM: A 23-year-old man has alleged that a police team abducted him in a car, assaulted him and crushed his genitals while searching for his brother, who is an accused in a POCSO case. Abhijith, son of Suku of Peringanad in Adoor, has filed a complaint against the Sasthamkotta police.

Abhijith sought treatment at Adoor Taluk Hospital and a private hospital in Adoor after experiencing severe genital pain and difficulty urinating. He alleged that Adoor police neither recorded his statement nor registered an FIR despite being informed by the hospital about the incident. He later went to the police station and filed a complaint. He also sent complaints by email to the Adoor police SHO and the Pathanamthitta district police chief.

The incident allegedly took place on May 29. Sasthamkotta police had registered a case against Abhijith's brother, Abhishek, for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl he had met through Instagram and causing her to become pregnant.

The police team arrived at around 7 pm in a Maruti Swift to take Abhishek into custody. Abhijith was standing near his house talking to a friend when the officers allegedly approached him and asked about his brother's whereabouts. He alleged that they forcibly put him into the car and assaulted him.

After taking Abhishek into custody, the police dropped Abhijith near his house around 11 pm. He said he developed severe genital pain the following day and was unable to stand upright. Police, however, denied the allegations and claimed that they were false and intended to weaken the POCSO case against Abhijith's brother.

Petition filed in district court

The Pathanamthitta District Court has admitted a petition filed by Abhijith under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Police Complaints Authority had also received a complaint, following which the police officers named in it were summoned and their statements recorded.

Amid the controversy, a police officer visited Abhijith's house on Monday and recorded his statement.