Made to starve for 21 hours, strip-searched in front of male officers; Horrendous custody torture in Peroorkada

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Dalit woman revealed the gruelling few hours she spent in a police station, facing serious mental torture from police over a fake theft case. Despite pleading innocence, the police hurled expletives at her, asked her to drink water from the toilet when thirsty and even threatened to charge cases against her children. The mental torture was too much for the woman that she at one point lied about stealing the gold chain, in a bid to escape the brutal custody torture.

Dalit woman R Bindu (39), a native of Kudappanakunnu went through the torture. Bindu believes her caste and darker skin tone made the officials flaunt their haughty attitude toward her.

With Congress taking up the issue and the media highlighting it for a day, the pressure fell on the government to act and they finally did. S.I. Prasad of Peroorkada station was suspended. C.I. R. Sivakumar, who humiliated Bindu that she had thief-like antics, will face punitive action along with other police officials.

The incident, which took place 27 days ago, was covered up despite being reported to the higher-ups. The woman alleged that the complaint lodged with Chief Minister’s Political Secretary P. Sasi was neglected. Sasi denied this and said that the government acted promptly.

Despite the lost 18 grams worth of gold chain being recovered from the owner Omana Daniel's house, the Police didn’t show the niceties to cancel the FIR against Bindu until yesterday. The Human Rights Commission has filed a case.

Action was taken against the policemen after examining the CCTV video and audio. The Cantonment Assistant Commissioner and the Divisional Assistant Commissioner have been appointed to investigate the incident, said City Police Commissioner Thomson Jose. He told 'Kerala Kaumudi'.

• The necklace went missing on April 19.
• A complaint was filed on the 23rd.
• At 4 pm the same day, housemaid Bindu was summoned to the Peroorkada station.
• Upon reaching the station, SI Prasad shouted expletives at her asking her where the necklace was.
• The SI asked the woman officers to use third-degree torture to bring the truth out.
• Police officers came near to slapping her. However, the mental torture was so much that Bindu collapsed on the floor.
• Bindu was not allowed to answer anxious phone calls from her husband who had no idea where she was.
• The woman officials then stripped her and searched for the missing chain in front of male officers.
• She was then taken to her house and the police rummaged inside but to no avail.
• At 9 am the next day, Omana and her daughter reached the station and informed the police about recovering the chain from their house. At 11:30 am, SI Prasad called Bindu into the room. Omana said that she was withdrawing the complaint. She paid Bindu for three days of work but did not tell her about the gold chain.
• It was Bindu’s husband’s contact with one of the police officers at the station that helped them get the news about the missing chain. Bindu then reached the station and demanded her mobile phone back. By noon, Police gave back her phone and advised her not to proceed with complaints.
• Bindu and her family are CPM supporters.
• "I even thought about suicide. I didn't do it for the sake of my children. I felt like I had to live to prove the truth. The police officers who tortured me should be fired. Those who filed false complaints should also be punished. No other woman should experience this." Said Bindu.