Dalit woman subjected to severe mental harassment at police station; Peroorkada SI suspended

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A sub-inspector (SI) has been suspended in connection with a complaint by a Dalit woman alleging mental harassment by the Peroorkada police over a theft accusation. SI Prasad of the Peroorkada station has been suspended following the allegations. A detailed inquiry report on whether there was a lapse on the part of the police is expected to be submitted by the Cantonment Assistant Commissioner by the evening. Further action will be based on this report.

Bindu (36), a native of Irumaram in Panavoor, was the victim of the alleged mistreatment by the police. Action against the SI was taken after the Special Branch Assistant Commissioner submitted a report to the Police Commissioner. The report highlights serious lapses by the police, including the failure to carry out even the basic procedures when a complaint is received. It also pointed to grave mishandling of the case.

Meanwhile, Bindu expressed happiness over the SI’s suspension. She demanded action against another officer named Prasannan, whom she accused of behaving most cruelly.

"Prasannan was the one who harassed me the most. When I asked for water, he told me to go and drink from the bathroom. They didn't give me water even after hours of interrogation through the night. He threatened to implicate my daughters in the case. The police officers harassed me because of my skin colour and caste," Bindu said.

Bindu claims the police mentally harassed her for about 20 hours over a crime she did not commit. On May 13, around 3 p.m., she was summoned to the Peroorkada police station for questioning regarding a theft case. She was released only by noon the next day. The complaint was regarding a missing gold chain from the house where Bindu had recently started working.

She said the homeowner’s complaint led to her enduring severe mental torture. "Even though I repeatedly told the police I was innocent, they didn’t let me go. They refused to let me inform my family that I was being kept at the station overnight. They took me late at night to my house in Panavoor for a search and then brought me back to the station. I wasn’t even given drinking water," Bindu told the media.

However, the missing gold chain was later found in the same house, with the homeowner herself informing the police the next day. "Even after realizing I was not guilty, they kept me at the station for hours before returning my phone and allowing me to go home," Bindu said.