Not even ex-police officer's son safe from police assault; complaint filed in Ettumanoor custodial assault

KOTTAYAM: A father has filed a legal action alleging that the Ettumanoor police thrashed his son for no reason and framed him in a false case because he raised his voice against a private bus hitting his bike and not stopping.

Abhay (25), a resident of Ettumanoor Parolickal Sreenandanam, was beaten up by Ettumanoor SHO Ansil. His father, former policeman and Kidangoor Panchayat Secretary SK Rajeev, filed a complaint with the Governor, Chief Minister, Opposition Leader, DGP, Human Rights Commission and SC-ST Commission in this regard. Rajeev said that he will file a private case in the Ettumanoor Magistrate's Court, seeking action against the five people who assaulted his son.

"My son was beaten with a lathi and pushed behind a police jeep. They threw his phone on the ground and broke it. Instead of taking him to the station, he was taken to the Janamaithri Mediation Center near the station and thrashed again," said Abhay's father Rajeev.

Once a medical examination was done, Abhay was released after obtaining a written statement stating that he had no complaints. A false case was filed alleging that Abhay had hit the driver with his helmet, when it became clear that legal action would be taken. Abhay was charged under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) in a case related to student violence while he was studying at Nattakam College, but it was quashed after an appeal was filed with the KAAPA Advisory Board. "They even met the doctor in Kalamassery who was treating my son for depression and tried to establish that my son was a drug addict," Rajeev alleged.