Koodal schoolgirl's fake complaint: Youngster's heart ailment worsens after police brutality

PATHANAMTHITTA: A youngster, also a heart patient, who faced police brutality over a fake complaint filed by a ninth-grader in Koodal, is in a critical condition. The youth, taken into custody from his home immediately after receiving the complaint, was shifted to the police quarters and subjected to third-degree torture. The 20-year-old youth later sought treatment at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital.

The girl, who filed a complaint, alleged facing sexual assault from 11 people, including her classmates. After the investigation revealed that the complaint was false, those taken into custody were released. The youngster who was subjected to inhumane torture had undergone heart surgery just two years ago. He just had the contact numbers of close relatives, and his mother saved them on his phone.

The youth was abducted from his home at 8.15 pm on Friday. Before that, his elder brother was arrested by mistake and was released. His parents and maternal grandparents were at home when the police barged in. Even though the family said that he had undergone heart surgery, the officials cared less. Three or four people in mufti were at the police quarters. From here, the student was taken to the station at 2.45 am. It is said that he was arrested following the intervention of a local political leader. Not even water was provided to him during his time of illegal detention.

The victim told Kerala Kaumudi that the police officers committed brutality equivalent to the third degree of torture. The officials pulled his ears and lifted him. The pain was so unbearable that he screamed. The next move was pulling his hair harder to let him seethe. At this time, he felt pain in his chest. The officials then crushed his fingers using boots. After making him stretch his legs, the police officers took turns to hit him on the feet with canes. They even hurled obscenities. The youngster now faces difficulty walking.

The mother of the victim said that the family had spent more than two lakh rupees on the surgery. She had taken a loan from Kudumbashree. Due to poverty, the victim is working temporarily in an ice cream company for a meagre salary. The mother said that she contemplated suicide after police dragged her son out of the house in a fake case. She also demanded answers from the girl student for the fake complaint.