"Stomped me with booted legs and sat on me, vomited blood": Custodial assault case with forest department in the dock

MALAPPURAM: Public activist alleges brutal beating by forest department officials. Baiju Andrews, a local public activist and farmer, has alleged that he was beaten by forest department officials five years ago.

Baiju Andrews says that five officials surrounded him and beat him without even informing him about the matter. He was beaten even after being tied up. Baiju added that he will file a complaint with the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister in this regard.

The incident that is the subject of the complaint occurred during the 2020 Covid period. Baiju Andrews was cultivating kappa (Tapioca) with a friend in the area. This friend had been arrested earlier in the case of shooting and killing a deer. As part of that, the forest department officials took Baiju to the station for questioning. Baiju complains that the officials beat Baiju, who was unaware of these matters. Since there is no CCTV at the forest department station, the footage from there is also not available.

"They took me to the station saying they wanted to ask me some questions. After taking my phone, five officers pushed me into a room and stuffed a cloth in my mouth. They stomped me with booted legs and sat on me. When I was dizzy and fell on the bed, they pulled me down and thrashed me again. They held my hand behind my back and kicked me in the ribs. They hit me on the head with a piece of wood. They also threatened me not to reveal the details of the thrashing. I became chronically ill after the assault. Later, I was made an accused in the case. I am still facing trial. Since it was the Covid era, the trial was online at that time. I could not tell the judge about the assault. I had to give up farming. I will file a complaint with the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister. I am continuing treatment for chronic cough, vomiting blood, vision loss, and hearing loss," Baiju said.